Rosa hugonis Father Hugo’s Rose, Golden Rose of China

Father Hugo’s Rose belongs to the group of botanical roses with fine, delicate leaflets. It was first described by British botanist William Botting Hemsley at the end of the 19th century. The species was named after Scottish missionary and plant collector Reverend William Hugo, who discovered it in central China and sent it to Europe around 1899, where it quickly gained admiration for its early and abundant flowering. In the wild, it grows in central and northern China – from Sichuan and Gansu through Shanxi to Manchuria – and in Korea. It can be found on sunny slopes, in thickets, and along the edges of light woodlands, often high in the mountains, up to 2,300 metres above sea level. At the time of its discovery, it was one of the few known roses with a pure yellow flower, which caused quite a stir in Europe and sparked great interest among breeders as well as rose collectors.

The flowers appear singly on new shoots and are a true ornament – five delicate petals in shades ranging from pale to rich yellow, about 4–5 cm in diameter. At the centre are golden stamens that attract bees. After flowering, it produces small, reddish‑brown hips. It blooms very early, often in the second half of April, when most roses are only just budding, and it pairs beautifully with gardens where magnolias in pink shades are in bloom. As a botanical species, it can vary slightly in its details – some plants have paler or deeper yellow flowers, denser or sparser thorns, larger or smaller hips, and even the size of the leaves can differ. In the wild and in cultivation, it can be confused with related species, especially Rosa xanthina. Its deciduous foliage is very attractive: pinnate leaves are composed of 7 to 15 finely serrated, matte green leaflets that turn yellow in autumn.

Father Hugo’s Rose forms upright to slightly arching shrubs, 2–3 m tall and wide, occasionally more. It grows at a moderate rate – adding about 30–40 cm per year. The branches are slender and densely covered with fine, straight thorns, which may be reddish on young shoots. It is ideal for informal hedges, as a lawn specimen, or in naturalistic plantings. It is also well suited to public greenery – hardy, undemanding, and flowering at a time when other roses are still dormant. In addition, it is very healthy, resistant to common diseases and pests, tolerant of poorer soils, and unfazed by frost.

It thrives best in full sun and well‑drained, moderately fertile soil. It will tolerate drier sites but appreciates watering when forming buds. It is not fussy about soil pH. It flowers only once a year, but very profusely. Pruning is not essential, but possible – after flowering, you can remove old, weakly flowering stems to encourage new growth, or shape it into a hedge, either after flowering or in early spring before leaf‑out. It is fully hardy to at least –29 °C (USDA Zone 5), so it overwinters without problems even in harsher climates. Due to its size and deep root system, it is not suitable for long‑term container growing – it performs best in open ground.

Last update 09-09-2025