Grandiflora, Hybrid Tea Rose 'Gold Medal'

As mentioned with other roses that I've tried in Miami, this one is potted. In my hands and in this hot humid weather, this rose has a m...Read Moreediocre resistance to black spot, so one has to be vigilant. However, beautiful yellow fragrant flowers, in clusters or individual, bloom here year-around. Possibly due to the heat, older flowers loose some of the color, while still keeping the good shape, giving this rose a tonal yellow to ivory appearance.

Gold Medal is a mediocre bloomer here in the cooler climate of the NC mountains. I also prefer more fragrance. Nice shape, resistant to b...Read Morelack spot. I think I prefer Love and Peace and Chicago Peace more.

I live in Winnsboro, SC with a lot of heat and humidity. This rose does beautifully. We have over 200 rose bushes and I bring cut roses...Read More to work each week. Last week, one of the ladies in my office said this was the prettiest rose she had ever seen.

Nancy

I'm just starting to grow roses in Northcentral Florida, zone 8b, where they are subjected to much moisture, which often leads to disease...Read More, so I have only planted lengadarily tough "antique roses" so far. But I always research roses pictured here in the PDB that attract me, and this one is really beautiful!

I looked up Grandifloras and found they are a very modern rose, developed in the 1950's, by crossing hybrid teas and floribundas. The hybrid teas contributed the long stems and flower form, and the floribundas contributed the increased hardiness, and abundant, continuous blooms. The Grandifloras grow from three to six feet tall or more, and 'Gold Medal' is described in several of my books as "tall."

'Gold Medal' was introduced in 1982--it is very modern indeed--and is known for great vigor and good health--no blackspot? It has "small clusters of long, ovoid, golden yellow buds, sometimes tinged with pink or orange, unfurling to large, full fragrant blossoms. Plant is very tall and upright." (from Sunset Roses) Another book says it is a tall plant, with glossy, deep green foliage, and is a vigorous grower and remarkably winter hardy. The flowers are almost 4 inches across, with little fragrance (which contradicts the other book) but abundant blooms.

I'd love to grow this beautiful rose, but am afraid it won't do well in my hot and humid Coastal South climate. Has anyone successfully grown this rose in the South? The old adage "you have to grow it to know it" certainly applies here. Books can give a person a general idea of a plant's qualities, but nothing beats "growing it" to really learn about it.

A good bloomer, late April first flush, still blooming in August, fades quickly in high temps of 95+.