Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek (Kenraiz), CC BY-SA 4.0

Hybrid Musk; shrubLouis Lens, 1998Red

Bukavu

Single carmine-pink flowers with a white eye in large clusters; a 'humanitarian rose' supporting the hospital in Bukavu (Congo); dark red hips for birds; very healthy glossy foliage.

'humanitarian rose' supporting the city of Bukavu (DR Congo)

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat, in flushes

Repeat/continuous in flushes from June to the first frosts. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Legacy

Humanitarian

In support of projects in Bukavu

Plant size

90–185 × 90–185 cm

Habit: Vigorous, upright, dense
Dimensions: 90–185 cm × 90–185 cm (usually ~1.5–1.8 m) — for a shrub or hedge
Support: Not needed (shrub/hedge; can be used for cutting)
Shoots: Sturdy, upright
Branching: Sturdy upright shoots

Flower

4–11 petals

Bud shape: Small, carmine-pink
Open flower: Single, open, five-petalled wild-rose type
Centre: White eye with yellow stamens
Fullness: Single (4–11 petals) — typical of Hybrid Musks
Flower carriage: In large dense clusters

Fragrance

Light

Light (mild) — ~2/5.

Disease resistance

5 out of 5

High (4–5/5): Lens Hybrid Musk, 'good disease resistance'.

Sun

Sun + shade

Tolerates partial shade.

Thorns

Few

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

No precise data — Lens Hybrid Musks usually have few thorns.

Foliage

Dark green, glossy, healthy.

All characteristics in a table

Group: Hybrid Musk; shrub
Breeder: Louis Lens, Belgium, 1998
Bud shape: Small, carmine-pink
Open flower: Single, open, five-petalled wild-rose type
Centre: White eye with yellow stamens
Colour: Cherry-red / carmine-pink with a white eye; very weather-resistant
Fullness: Single (4–11 petals) — typical of Hybrid Musks
Flower carriage: In large dense clusters
Flowering: Repeat/continuous in flushes from June to the first frosts
Fragrance: Light (mild) — ~2/5
Hips: Yes — small round dark red hips in autumn, attract birds
Habit: Vigorous, upright, dense
Branching: Sturdy upright shoots
Shoots: Sturdy, upright
Thorns: No precise data — Lens Hybrid Musks usually have few thorns.
Dimensions: 90–185 cm × 90–185 cm (usually ~1.5–1.8 m) — for a shrub or hedge
Support: Not needed (shrub/hedge; can be used for cutting)
Foliage: Dark green, glossy, healthy
Resistance: High (4–5/5): Lens Hybrid Musk, 'good disease resistance'
Variations of the variety: Code LENbrirus (LLX 9001). Parentage: Britannia × Rush. Bred c. 1990, released 1998

Colour scheme

Cherry-red / carmine-pink with a white eye; very weather-resistant

Rose neighbours

Guirlande d'Amourwhite

Heavenly Pinksoft pink

Dinkyfuchsia-pink

Munstead Wooddark raspberry · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Lavenderlavender

Catmint (Nepeta)blue-lilac

Woodland sageblue-violet

Lady's mantle (Alchemilla)lime greenWoodland sage

Neighbouring roses

The Lens Hybrid Musk family: single and semi-double flowers in clusters:

Guirlande d'Amour Heavenly Pink Dinky Munstead Wood

Companion perennials

Lilac-blue perennials set off the carmine-pink tone:

lavendercatmint (Nepeta)woodland sagelady's mantle (Alchemilla)

A story with a heart

❤️ Not just a rose:

🕊 'humanitarian rose' — funds for a hospital in Bukavu
🔴 dark red hips for birds in autumn
🌥 flowers in partial shade
🌿 almost hassle-free — very healthy

More about the variety

Hips: Yes — small round dark red hips in autumn, attract birds
Variations of the variety: Code LENbrirus (LLX 9001). Parentage: Britannia × Rush. Bred c. 1990, released 1998

How to grow

Where to plant. As a free-standing hedge or in a mixed border among perennials; a sunny or partly shaded spot; leave the hips on the bush for birds.

Climate. USDA 6b–9b; for the colder zones of Ukraine — light cover at the base.

Care. Fertile, well-drained soil; sanitary pruning in spring, light shaping; almost trouble-free thanks to its healthy foliage.

About the name

Name. 'Bukavu' — a city in eastern DR Congo (on Lake Kivu). The rose was named and bred to support the reconstruction of a hospital and humanitarian projects in Bukavu; since 2006 it has been sold as a 'humanitarian rose' in aid of projects run by the NGO Louvain Développement.

Breeding. Bred at the Louis Lens rose nursery (Belgium) — a leading European school of Hybrid Musks. Code LENbrirus. Parentage: Britannia × Rush. Bred c. 1990, released 1998.

Significance. An example of Lens's 'natural' Hybrid Musk — single carmine-pink flowers with a white eye in large clusters, exceptional health, shade tolerance and decorative hips for birds. And a rose with a good heart that helped real people.

Frequently asked questions about Bukavu

How many times a season does Bukavu flower?

Repeat/continuous in flushes from June to the first frosts.

How big does Bukavu grow?

90–185 cm tall, 90–185 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Bukavu?

Overall resistance: 5 out of 5. High; healthy glossy foliage.

How much sun does Bukavu need?

Sun + shade; tolerates partial shade.

What does Bukavu smell like?