Hybrid Tea; cut-flowerTerra NigraWhite and cream

Boeing

Terra Nigra Holding B.V. (Kudelstaart, Netherlands); the benchmark for pure white among cut roses – a top variety for wedding bouquets.

Florists Rose · Dutch breeding

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat-flowering, long-lasting

Terra Nigra 2009 data

10 days

Vase life in in-house trials; results depend on conditions.

Winter hardiness

−18 °C

USDA zone 6b–7b. Bred for cutting and glasshouses, but also grows in the garden: centre and south — with light protection, north — with full protection; winter hardiness is moderate.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

100–120 × 60 cm

Habit: Tall, semi-spreading
Dimensions: 100–120 cm tall × 60 cm wide
Support: No support needed – the bush is self-supporting (support is only needed for climbing varieties)
Shoots: Long, straight and strong. Terra Nigra’s 2009 catalogue gives 70–90 cm for cut-stem length; this is not the height of a mature bush.
Branching: Moderate

Flower

≈ 11 cm

35–40 petals.

Bud shape: Large goblet-shaped, tall, elongated, tightly packed – classic exhibition form
Open flower: Double, with a high centre; about 11 cm in diameter according to the Terra Nigra 2009 catalogue. Size depends on growing conditions.
Centre: Dense, stamens almost not visible
Fullness: Double; 35–40 petals according to the Terra Nigra 2009 catalogue. These figures come from the breeder’s in-house trials.
Flower carriage: Borne singly on a long stem

Fragrance

Light

Light, delicate, faintly sweet.

Disease resistance

4 out of 5

Powdery mildewresistant

High resistance to powdery mildew.

Sun

Full sun in open ground

Best results in a greenhouse.

Thorns

Few

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Few, small reddish thorns, sometimes almost none – convenient when handling cut stems.

Foliage

Dark green, dense, glossy, weather-resistant.

All characteristics in a table

Group: Hybrid Tea; cut-flower
Breeder: Terra Nigra
Bud shape: Large goblet-shaped, tall, elongated, tightly packed – classic exhibition form
Open flower: Double, with a high centre; about 11 cm in diameter according to the Terra Nigra 2009 catalogue. Size depends on growing conditions.
Centre: Dense, stamens almost not visible
Colour: Perfect snow-white – the benchmark; when fully open, a faint warm cream tint appears in the centre; petals with a broadly wavy edge
Fullness: Double; 35–40 petals according to the Terra Nigra 2009 catalogue. These figures come from the breeder’s in-house trials.
Flower carriage: Borne singly on a long stem
Flowering: Repeat-flowering, long-lasting
Fragrance: Light, delicate, faintly sweet
Hips: Do not form under cut-flower conditions
Habit: Tall, semi-spreading
Branching: Moderate
Shoots: Long, straight and strong. Terra Nigra’s 2009 catalogue gives 70–90 cm for cut-stem length; this is not the height of a mature bush.
Thorns: Few, small reddish thorns, sometimes almost none – convenient when handling cut stems.
Dimensions: 100–120 cm tall × 60 cm wide
Support: No support needed – the bush is self-supporting (support is only needed for climbing varieties)
Foliage: Dark green, dense, glossy, weather-resistant
Resistance: High resistance to powdery mildew
Variations of the variety: No sport variations have been publicly documented

Colour scheme

Perfect snow-white – the benchmark; when fully open, a faint warm cream tint appears in the centre; petals with a broadly wavy edge

Rose neighbours

Icebergpure white

Madame Hardywhite

Schneewalzersnow-white

Black Baccarablack-burgundy · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Astrantia 'Roma'pink-white

Hosta 'Patriot'green foliage

Veronicastrum 'Album'blue-violet

Heuchera 'Silver Scrolls'purple foliage

Neighbouring roses

Other white cut-flower varieties hold a single 'wedding' mood around Boeing.

Iceberg Madame Hardy Schneewalzer Black Baccara

Perennial companions

Small white, green and silver flowers and foliage — a classic companion palette for white bouquets and 'moonlit' gardens:

astrantia 'Roma'hosta 'Patriot'veronicastrum 'Album'heuchera 'Silver Scrolls'

Contrasting accents

For a textural effect — silvery globe thistles and white alliums:

Eryngium giganteumAllium Mount EverestGypsophila

More about the variety

Hips: Do not form under cut-flower conditions
Variations of the variety: No sport variations have been publicly documented

How to grow

Where to plant. Cut-flower plantations (its main purpose), wedding gardens, monochrome 'moonlit' gardens, containers by the front entrance.

Climate. Climate zones 6b–7b. Bred for greenhouses and cutting, but it also overwinters in open ground: central and southern Ukraine (Kyiv, Poltava, Odesa and Kherson regions) – with light protection; north and west – with full protection. Winter does not come on top of winter; in harsh, snowless years some die-back is possible. At the same time it remains an ideal variety for the cut-flower business.

Care. Intensive spring pruning to 3–4 buds; regular feeding with a complete fertiliser; generous watering without wetting the leaves; winter protection is essential in open ground.

About the name

Name. The international cultivar name is Boeing.

Breeding. Terra Nigra, the Netherlands. The cultivar appears in The complete Terra Nigra rose collection ’09; this catalogue does not establish the exact year of introduction. Cut flowers: vase life was 10 days in Terra Nigra’s in-house trials. Catalogue figures depend on growing conditions.

Frequently asked questions about Boeing

Does Boeing need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −18 °C (USDA zone 6b–7b). Overwintering depends on the conditions.

How many times a season does Boeing flower?

Repeat-flowering, long-lasting.

How big does Boeing grow?

100–120 cm tall, about 60 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Boeing?

Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. High resistance to powdery mildew; good against other diseases.

How much sun does Boeing need?

Sun; full sun in open ground; best results in a greenhouse.

What does Boeing smell like?