Deutscher Rosenneuheitenwettbewerb

Deutscher Rosenneuheitenwettbewerb
Name	Deutscher Rosenneuheitenwettbewerb
Established	1965
Location	Germany
Type	Rose trial
Organizer	Züchtergemeinschaft Deutscher Rosenneuheitenwettbewerb

Deutscher Rosenneuheitenwettbewerb The Deutscher Rosenneuheitenwettbewerb is a German rose trial and competition that evaluates new Rosa cultivars under field conditions, attracting breeders, nurseries, and botanical institutions from across Europe and beyond, and engaging organizations such as the Bund deutscher Baumschulen, the Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, and regional horticultural societies; its trials inform practices at sites like the Landesgartenschau venues and influence collections at institutions such as the Botanischer Garten Berlin-Dahlem, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the Jardins de Bagatelle.

Introduction

The competition functions as a central testing ground for new Rosa introductions presented by private breeders such as Kordes Pflanzenvertrieb, W. Kordes' Söhne, David Austin Roses, Meilland International, Poulsen Roser A/S, and public programs at institutions like the Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bonn, the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, and the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, while cooperating with international trial systems including the All-America Rose Selections, the Royal National Rose Society Trials, and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show network to harmonize evaluation standards and cultivar registration.

History

The competition was initiated in the 20th century amid post-war horticultural rebuilding efforts involving figures and institutions such as Peter Beales, Friedrich H. Kordes II, Rosenfreunde Deutschland, and municipal bodies in cities like Trier, Wiesbaden, Mainz, and Hamburg. Early milestones involved collaboration with breeding houses Conard-Pyle, R. H. M. Flamenco and research centers including the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Over decades the trial adapted to phytosanitary shifts initiated by the European Union directives, changes in plant patenting under the European Patent Office, and international trade norms influenced by the World Trade Organization, reflecting developments in cultivar registration at the Community Plant Variety Office and exchanges with registries like the American Rose Society.

Organization and Membership

Administration is handled by a coordinating committee composed of representatives from nursery associations such as the Verband Deutscher Blumen-Großmärkte, botanical gardens including the Palmengarten Frankfurt, university departments like the Technische Universität München, Weihenstephan, rose societies such as the Union Internationale des Associations d'Amateurs de Roses, and municipal parks departments from cities like Stuttgart and Düsseldorf. Membership and participation extend to commercial breeders (e.g., Schultheis Pflanzenvermehrung), public research entities like the Federal Biological Research Centre (BBA), and international partners from countries including France, United Kingdom, Denmark, United States, Japan, and Italy, with coordination involving trade organizations such as the International Association of Horticultural Producers.

Competition Rules and Evaluation Criteria

Entries must comply with registration standards enforced by authorities like the Community Plant Variety Office and often require prior trials or descriptions from registries such as the International Cultivar Registration Authority; phytosanitary inspections follow protocols from the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety. Panels comprise experts from institutions including the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, the University of Hohenheim, botanical gardens like Botanischer Garten der Universität Freiburg, and experienced rosarians associated with the GARTENBAU BUNDESVERBAND and the Royal Horticultural Society. Evaluation criteria cover disease resistance (notably to black spot and powdery mildew), flowering frequency, fragrance assessed by specialists familiar with standards used at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and the Montréal Botanical Garden trials, growth habit per guidelines from the International Society for Horticultural Science, winter hardiness referencing regional data from the Deutscher Wetterdienst, and landscape performance used by city planners in Berlin and Munich.

Categories and Awards

The competition awards categories similar to those used by the American Rose Society and the Royal National Rose Society, including distinctions for floribunda, hybrid tea, climber, shrub, groundcover, and patio roses, with honors paralleling awards like the All-America Rose Selections winners and the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Specific accolades recognize novelty, fragrance (evaluated by panels influenced by perfumers from institutions like the Grasse community), and sustainability traits such as low-input performance relevant to municipal planting programs in Frankfurt am Main and Cologne. Awards often boost commercial uptake by nurseries such as W. Kordes' Söhne and Rosen Tantau and influence purchases by public gardens including the Wilhelm-Pieck-Garten and private collectors tracked by journals like Garten+Haus.

Notable Winners and Cultivars

Winners from the competition have included cultivars bred by houses like W. Kordes' Söhne, Rosen Tantau, Meilland, David Austin, Poulsen, and Kawasaki Nursery, with successful introductions making impacts comparable to internationally recognized roses such as 'Peace' and 'Graham Thomas'; notable cultivars have been adopted in municipal plantings in Hamburg, featured in publications from Bund deutscher Baumschulen, and used in conservation collections at the German National Library of Science and Technology and specialized repositories like the Europa-Rosarium Sangerhausen.

Impact on Horticulture and Industry

The competition shapes breeding priorities for breeders like Kordes and Tantau by emphasizing disease resistance and garden performance used by landscape architects in Stadtgärtnerei Berlin and arboriculturists in Potsdam, influences nursery production decisions following standards from the Bundesverband der Deutschen Pflanzenzüchter, and informs academic research at institutions including the University of Freiburg and the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research. Its outcomes affect international trade routes via partners in Holland and Denmark, guide cultivar selection for major public exhibitions such as the Landesgartenschau and the Bundesgartenschau, and contribute to conservation efforts coordinated with organizations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature when heritage and wild Rosa species are considered for breeding programs.

Category:Rose trials Category:Horticulture in Germany Category:Plant competitions