Photo: Dümmen Orange (official variety photo)

Cut flower (Florist's Rose, Hybrid Tea type)Lex Voorn (Lex+ Roses), 2004White and cream

Avalanche+

One of the best-known white cut roses in the world; white with a greenish tint at the base; exceptionally long vase life (14+ days).

Leading white cut rose · family of Peach / Pink / Sweet Avalanche+

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Continuous, year-round in a greenhouse

Legacy

World leader

~a quarter of the Dutch cut-flower area — Avalanche+; top white in the premium segment

Plant size

80–100 × 50 cm

Habit: Upright, greenhouse type
Dimensions: 80–100 cm (up to 150 in production) × about 50 cm
Support: Not needed
Shoots: Long, sturdy, thick
Branching: One flower per stem (cut-flower type)

Flower

≈ 10 cm

17–25 petals.

Bud shape: Large, egg-shaped, high-centred
Open flower: Classic high-centred, opening into a cup; diameter about 10 cm; “always opens fully”, does not ball
Centre: Dense, high-centred
Fullness: Double (17–25 petals), dense velvety texture
Flower carriage: Borne singly — one large flower on a long, sturdy stem

Fragrance

Barely noticeable; almost no scent (bred for form and vase life)

Barely noticeable — almost no scent.

Disease resistance

4 out of 5

Good to moderate; holds up well in rain (the flower does not rot).

Sun

Full sun

Greenhouse light levels.

Thorns

Few

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Few prickles — convenient for cutting.

Foliage

Large, dark green, semi-glossy, about 5 leaflets; young foliage reddish-green.

Other names

Breeder's code LEXani.

All characteristics in a table

Group: Cut flower (Florist's Rose, Hybrid Tea type)
Breeder: Lex Voorn (Lex+ Roses), Netherlands, 2004
Bud shape: Large, egg-shaped, high-centred
Open flower: Classic high-centred, opening into a cup; diameter about 10 cm; “always opens fully”, does not ball
Centre: Dense, high-centred
Colour: Creamy white with a greenish-lime tint at the base and on the outer petals (greener in the bud)
Fullness: Double (17–25 petals), dense velvety texture
Flower carriage: Borne singly — one large flower on a long, sturdy stem
Flowering: Continuous, year-round in a greenhouse
Fragrance: Barely noticeable — almost no scent
Life as a cut flower: Exceptionally long — 14+ days (the variety's signature advantage)
Habit: Upright, greenhouse type
Branching: One flower per stem (cut-flower type)
Shoots: Long, sturdy, thick
Thorns: Few prickles — convenient for cutting.
Dimensions: 80–100 cm (up to 150 in production) × about 50 cm
Support: Not needed
Foliage: Large, dark green, semi-glossy, about 5 leaflets; young foliage reddish-green
Resistance: Good to moderate; holds up well in rain (the flower does not rot)
Variations of the variety: Numerous sports: Peach, Pink, Sweet, Candy, Pearl, Cherry, Sorbet, Magic Avalanche+

Colour scheme

Creamy white with a greenish-lime tint at the base and on the outer petals (greener in the bud)

Rose neighbours

Peach Avalanche+peach (sport)

Pink Avalanche+pink (sport)

Winchester Cathedralpure white

Claire Austincream-white

Perennials to plant nearby

Gypsophilawhite mist

Catmintblue

Salvia 'Caradonna'purple

Lamb's ears (Stachys)silver

Neighbouring roses

Coloured sports, 'relatives' from the same Avalanche+ family, and pure-white garden varieties keep one elegant palette.

Peach Avalanche+Pink Avalanche+Winchester Cathedral Claire Austin

Perennial companions

White 'mist', blue and silver plants bring out the purity of the white flower:

gypsophilacatmintsalvia 'Caradonna'lamb's ears (Stachys)

Contrasting accents

Blue spikes and silver foliage add depth to the white palette:

DelphiniumNepeta Six Hills GiantStachys byzantina

More about the variety

Life as a cut flower: Exceptionally long — 14+ days (the variety's signature advantage)
Variations of the variety: Numerous sports: Peach, Pink, Sweet, Candy, Pearl, Cherry, Sorbet, Magic Avalanche+

How to grow

Where to plant. Above all for cutting and wedding flowers, where this is the benchmark white cut rose with an exceptionally long vase life; in a warm garden — as a specimen or in a white flower bed (it needs warmth and plenty of light).

Climate. The south of Ukraine and a greenhouse; garden hardiness roughly USDA zone 6b; in the north — with reliable cover (the variety was bred as a greenhouse cut rose).

Care. Full sun / plenty of light, rich soil; regular cutting of the long stems; the flower holds up well in rain and does not rot.

About the name

Name. Avalanche — 'snow avalanche', the image of a cascade of snow-white flowers. The “+” sign is part of the trademark (plain ‘Avalanche’ is a different, garden rose).

Breeding. Bred by Lex Vorn (Lex+ Roses, Netherlands), registered in 2004 (the brand started around 2001). The brand is now run by Dümmen Orange. Code: LEXani. The parent forms are not published.

Meaning. One of the most influential white cut roses in the world — by estimates, about a quarter of the Dutch cut-rose area is taken up by Avalanche+; the leading white rose of the premium segment, a classic for weddings and luxury. A large family of coloured sports descends from it (Peach, Pink, Sweet and others).

Frequently asked questions about Avalanche+

How many times a season does Avalanche+ flower?

Continuous, year-round in a greenhouse.

How big does Avalanche+ grow?

80–100 cm tall, about 50 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Avalanche+?

Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. Good; the flower does not ball and holds up well in rain.

How much sun does Avalanche+ need?

Full sun; greenhouse light levels.

What does Avalanche+ smell like?