Ave Maria, close-up of the flower
Photo: Geolina163, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Hybrid Tea; classicKordes, 1981Apricot and orange

Ave Maria

Also Sunburnt Country (Australia, 1983); one of the best-known salmon-orange HTs of the 1980s from Kordes, still actively sold.

For cutting and the garden

Variety profileGardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Abundant in flushes all season

Winter hardiness

−22 °C

USDA zone 6b–9b. North and east of Ukraine — with cover.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

120–150 × 80–120 cm
person 170 cm120–150 cm
Habit
Upright, typical of HT
Dimensions
120–150 cm tall × 80–120 cm wide
Support
No support needed — the bush is self-supporting (support is needed only for climbing varieties)
Shoots
Long, sturdy, straight — ideal for cutting
Branching
Moderate

Flower

10–12 cm
Bud shape
Classic tall conical HT bud — a florists' favourite
Open flower
Cup-shaped and tall, with an elegant cone-shaped centre; diameter 10–12 cm
Centre
High cone, opens slowly
Fullness
Double, about 35 petals
Flower carriage
Mostly borne singly, on a long, sturdy stem

Fragrance

Moderate

Moderate, fruity-rose.

Disease resistance

3.5 out of 5

Good overall.

Sun

Full sun for 6+ hours

In partial shade the colour fades.

Thorns

Moderate
thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Standard for a Hybrid Tea.

Foliage

Dark green, leathery, glossy.

Other names

Sunburnt Country

Breeder's code KORav.

All characteristics in a table
Group
Hybrid Tea; classic
Breeder
Kordes, 1981
Bud shape
Classic tall conical HT bud — a florists' favourite
Open flower
Cup-shaped and tall, with an elegant cone-shaped centre; diameter 10–12 cm
Centre
High cone, opens slowly
Colour
Salmon-orange, passing at the edge into a warmer vermilion; the reverse of the petal slightly lighter; in cool weather more pink tones
Fullness
Double, about 35 petals
Flower carriage
Mostly borne singly, on a long, sturdy stem
Flowering
Abundant in flushes all season
Fragrance
Moderate, fruity-rose
Hips
Rarely sets hips
Habit
Upright, typical of HT
Branching
Moderate
Shoots
Long, sturdy, straight — ideal for cutting
Thorns
Standard for a Hybrid Tea.
Dimensions
120–150 cm tall × 80–120 cm wide
Support
No support needed — the bush is self-supporting (support is needed only for climbing varieties)
Foliage
Dark green, leathery, glossy
Resistance
Good overall
Variations of the variety
One of the longest-lasting roses for cutting; synonym Sunburnt Country (Australia, 1983)

Colour scheme

Salmon-orange, passing at the edge into a warmer vermilion; the reverse of the petal slightly lighter; in cool weather more pink tones

Rose neighbours

Just Joeycopper-apricotTropicanabright orange-coralAugusta Luisepeach-creamIcebergpure white · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Salvia 'Caradonna'purpleCoral bells 'Caramel'purple foliageFeather reed grass 'Karl Foerster'golden ochreCranesbill 'Rozanne'pink

Neighbouring roses

A salmon-orange palette of HT varieties keeps one warm mood around Ave Maria.

Just JoeyTropicanaAugusta LuiseIceberg

Perennial companions

Purple and blue give a cool contrast to the warm salmon-orange flower:

salvia 'Caradonna'coral bells 'Caramel'feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster'cranesbill 'Rozanne'

Contrasting accents

For airiness and play with texture: lilac accents and soft yellow:

Agastache Black AdderVerbena bonariensisPhlomis russeliana

More about the variety

Hips
Rarely sets hips
Variations of the variety
One of the longest-lasting roses for cutting; synonym Sunburnt Country (Australia, 1983)

How to grow

Where to plant. A formal bed for cutting, HT monoplantings, and arrangements with lavender and silvery foliage. The long, sturdy stems are ideal for bouquets.

Climate. All of Ukraine; with cover in the north-eastern regions. The colour deepens in sun and fades in partial shade.

Care. Deep planting, regular feeding for HTs (nitrogen in spring, potassium-phosphorus at budding), prevention of black spot, formative pruning to 3–5 buds in spring; winter protection from zone 5.

About the name

Name. 'Ave Maria' — the Latin Catholic prayer of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary; also an allusion to the famous aria by Schubert/Gounod.

Breeding. Bred by Reimer Kordes (W. Kordes' Söhne) in 1981. Parentage: Uwe Seeler × Sonia Meilland — one of the few Kordes varieties with a fully known parentage. Patent code: KORav.

Meaning. A religious-musical dedication typical of Kordes in the 1980s (alongside Mainzer Fastnacht and the Maria Callas series). One of the best-known salmon-orange HTs of its time — still actively sold 45 years after its introduction. In 1983 it was introduced in Australia under the name Sunburnt Country.

Frequently asked questions about Ave Maria

Does Ave Maria need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −22 °C (USDA zone 6b–9b). Overwintering depends on the conditions.

How many times a season does Ave Maria flower?

Abundant in flushes all season.

How big does Ave Maria grow?

120–150 cm tall, 80–120 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Ave Maria?

Overall resistance: 3.5 out of 5. 3.5 / 5; good against powdery mildew; moderate against black spot; standard care.

How much sun does Ave Maria need?

Sun; full sun for 6+ hours; in partial shade the colour fades.

What does Ave Maria smell like?

Moderate, fruity-rose.

Gardeners' photos and reviews

My climate

Choose a reference temperature to compare with the cultivar’s data. This is not an overwintering forecast or advice on winter protection; consider wind, moisture and the duration of frost.

Regional data are generalised. USDA describes average annual extreme minima, not a forecast; the values in the list are rounded. Check the conditions at your site. More information: Roses in Ukraine's climate.