KARDINAL – red hybrid tea rose - Krause
With its rich coral-red blooms and upright, bushy habit, KARDINAL brings an atmosphere of afternoon tea elegance to even the smallest family garden, performing reliably season after season with remontant flowering that keeps beds and borders looking dressed. This own-root shrub establishes steadily, building a dependable framework and root system for a genuinely long garden life and low-input care. Once settled in, it offers medium maintenance and moderate disease tolerance, suiting busy homeowners who want traditional roses without constant attention, even where breezier weather and heavier soils call for thoughtful planting and good drainage. Its medium height and dense foliage make it easy to weave into cottage-style layouts or to anchor a narrow border, while container growers can enjoy it in large 40–50 litre pots for a movable splash of colour. In practical terms, this means you see roots establishing in the first year, stronger shoots and flowering in the second, and a full, mature ornamental presence from the third, supporting long-term garden structure and a reassuring sense of lived-in charm.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Classic hybrid tea bed in a small family garden |
KARDINAL’s bushy, upright habit and medium height make it ideal for a traditional rose bed without overpowering a modest plot. Regular repeats of coral-red flowers give a formal yet welcoming look with only occasional deadheading and health checks, making it manageable for a time-pressed beginner. |
| Low cottage-style hedge along a path or lawn |
Planted at the recommended spacing, this variety forms a dense, thorny line that visually defines paths while discouraging shortcutting through borders. Its foliage coverage stays good from spring to autumn, giving a structured, romantic edge that works well for households seeking gentle separation in a busy family garden. |
| Solitary feature rose near a seating area |
As a single specimen, KARDINAL’s cupped, mid-centred flowers read clearly from a patio chair or bench, especially against neutral paving or gravel. The discreet fragrance means it never overwhelms confined spaces, yet its colour holds attention through multiple flushes for relaxed, storybook-style afternoon tea. |
| Large container on a terrace or balcony |
In a 40–50 litre container with quality compost, its controlled size and bushy structure are easy to maintain with light annual pruning. An own-root plant copes better with minor damage or missed pruning, regrowing cleanly from the base and keeping a stable shape for busy urban balcony owners. |
| Mixed cottage border with perennials |
The coral-red blooms combine naturally with blue, white and soft pink companions such as agastache, liatris or lupins, helping you build a relaxed cottage palette around one reliable rose. Once the framework is established, routine seasonal checks and simple pruning keep the display impressive for home-focused gardeners. |
| Long-term structural planting in evolving gardens |
Because KARDINAL is supplied on its own roots, it ages gracefully, slowly thickening into a durable shrub rather than exhausting a graft union. After the first year’s rooting and the second year’s stronger shoots, its third-year canopy offers enduring ornamental value for forward-planning rose enthusiasts. |
| Coastal or wind-exposed suburban plots |
The dense, thorny framework and moderate disease tolerance help it cope in more exposed spots, provided you give it a well-prepared, free-draining planting hole, which is particularly helpful where breezy, damp conditions and heavier ground can otherwise challenge traditional roses for family gardens. |
| Traditional cutting and exhibition-style flowers |
The solitary, fully double blooms on straight stems are well suited to cutting, bringing the classic hybrid tea look indoors for simple arrangements. While fragrance is light, the colour and form hold up in a vase, appealing to home florists who enjoy gathering stems for informal displays. |
Styling ideas
- Pathway Avenue – Plant KARDINAL as a low, evenly spaced hedge along a front path, underplanting with soft catmint for a cloud of blue at the feet – ideal for family homes wanting a welcoming, traditional entrance.
- Tea-Corner Focus – Use one or three shrubs near a bistro set, combining them with lavender and white violas in pots to frame an afternoon tea nook – perfect for those who prize a romantic, sit-and-enjoy corner.
- Cottage Trio – Group three plants in a triangle with lupins and agastache to build layered height and colour in a mixed border – suited to cottage-garden lovers who enjoy relaxed, billowing planting.
- Balcony Statement – Grow KARDINAL in a single 50-litre tub with trailing thyme and ivy around the base for soft spillover – a good choice for busy urban owners seeking maximum effect from one container.
- Kitchen-Garden Accent – Place a pair of shrubs at the ends of a vegetable bed, echoing their coral-red with scarlet chard or beet stems – attractive for those blending practical food-growing with old-fashioned charm.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as Kardinal, also traded as Kardinal Hybrid tea rose Kardinal; a historic, unregistered exhibition hybrid tea suited to garden and cutting use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Max Krause in Germany around 1933 from a Château de Clos-Vougeot seedling, first distributed in 1936 by Hazlewood Bros. Pty. Ltd. in Australia for wider horticultural use. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, upright shrub reaching about 75–105 cm tall and 60–85 cm wide, with dense, slightly glossy light green foliage and a strongly prickled framework suited to hedging and structural planting. |
| Flower morphology |
Fully double, cupped blooms with a distinct mid-centre, typically 26–39 petals, medium-sized solitary flowers on stems, repeating through the season with a notably generous second flush. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep coral-red overall effect (ARS DR; RHS 187A outer, 53B inner), opening warm and intense, then softening to brick-terracotta tones with rosy, powdery edges as the blooms age and eventually fade. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very weakly scented with a neutral, clean impression; fragrance is discreet rather than dominant, making it appropriate for close seating areas where colour impact is preferred over strong perfume. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hip set is generally modest due to the full double flowers; when present, hips are small, spherical, about 10–14 mm across, and red, adding a light decorative effect late in the season. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H6 with approximate hardiness to around −15 to −12 °C; disease resistance is moderate to powdery mildew, black spot and rust, so occasional monitoring and timely treatment are beneficial. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Needs medium maintenance: regular feeding, deadheading and periodic pest and disease checks, plus light to moderate pruning; allow 40–80 cm spacing depending on use, in well-drained soil and a sunny position. |
KARDINAL offers classic coral-red hybrid tea blooms, a compact, bushy habit and reliable repeat flowering on a long-lived own-root framework, making it a cultured choice for those planning a quietly enduring rose feature.
