Coral Gem

Where to plant. Borders, the front of a mixed border with low perennials, group plantings of 3–5 bushes; thanks to its compact silhouette, suitable even for small flower beds.

Climate. USDA 6b–9b (down to −20 °C) – in Ukraine winter protection is advisable in the northern regions; in the south no protection is needed.

Care. As a classic J&P floribunda, it needs regular preventive fungicide treatments against black spot. Formative pruning in spring; removal of spent flowers.

Name. 'Coral Gem' – English for ‘coral pearl’; conveys the bright coral-pink tone of the classic American floribunda. Bred by Eugene S. Boerner at the house of Jackson & Perkins (USA), 1958. Patent code US Plant Patent PP 1,797. Parentage: (Pinocchio × Mrs. Sam McGredy, Cl.) × Fashion. Over 45 years of work at J&P, Boerner bred more than 60 floribundas – one of the fathers of the floribunda class, together with Svend Poulsen.

Significance. A historically important variety of the golden age of American floribundas in the 1950s. The classic ‘pink blend’ palette is typical of Boerner's floral breeding. Not to be confused with the New Zealand homonym – Coral Gem / Victoria Esplanade Nola M. Simpson (Palmerston North, NZ, approximately 2008–2011), which is distributed in Great Britain through Style Roses Group. The NZ variety is named after Victoria Esplanade Gardens in Palmerston North, where the Dugald MacKenzie Rose Garden is located – the main trial ground of the New Zealand Rose Society. Sympson worked for over 30 years on those trial grounds.