Shrub with Floribunda traitsMeillandBicolour

Décor Arlequin

Folk name in Ukraine: 'Peacock's Eye'; Gold Medal Rome 1975; a classic of Meilland's bicolour breeding.

Marie-Louise Meilland · Antibes

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat flowering

Repeat flowering from June to late autumn, almost without pauses. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Awards

Gold Rome

Gold medal, Rome 1975

Winter hardiness

−23 °C

USDA zone 6b–9b. All of Ukraine with moderate protection.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

150–200 × 100 cm

Habit: Vertically spreading; can be trained as a shrub or as a modern climber up to 200 cm
Dimensions: 150–200 cm tall × 100 cm wide
Support: Optional. As a shrub it needs no support; as a modern climber, a low support
Shoots: Sturdy, straight
Branching: Good

Flower

9–11 cm

Bud shape: Round-globular, cherry-red
Open flower: Semi-double, cupped; 9–11 cm across
Centre: Yellow-orange heart with visible stamens, a typical 'harlequin'
Fullness: Semi-double, 17–25 petals (18 typical)
Flower carriage: In clusters of 3–7 flowers on the stem

Fragrance

Light

Light, unobtrusive.

Disease resistance

4 out of 5

Very resistant to disease; a characteristic feature of the variety.

Sun

Full sun for the contrasting bicolour effect

Thorns

Moderate

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Typical number for a classic shrub.

Foliage

Dark green, leathery.

Other names

Breeder's code MEIzourayor.

All characteristics in a table

Group: Shrub with Floribunda traits
Breeder: Meilland
Bud shape: Round-globular, cherry-red
Open flower: Semi-double, cupped; 9–11 cm across
Centre: Yellow-orange heart with visible stamens, a typical 'harlequin'
Colour: Bicolour: the front of the petals is cherry-red (cerise / crimson-pink), the reverse pale yellow to pastel yellow; a contrasting 'harlequin' play of colours
Fullness: Semi-double, 17–25 petals (18 typical)
Flower carriage: In clusters of 3–7 flowers on the stem
Flowering: Repeat flowering from June to late autumn, almost without pauses
Fragrance: Light, unobtrusive
Hips: Rare
Habit: Vertically spreading; can be trained as a shrub or as a modern climber up to 200 cm
Branching: Good
Shoots: Sturdy, straight
Thorns: Typical number for a classic shrub.
Dimensions: 150–200 cm tall × 100 cm wide
Support: Optional. As a shrub it needs no support; as a modern climber, a low support
Foliage: Dark green, leathery
Resistance: Very resistant to disease; a characteristic feature of the variety
Variations of the variety: In Ukraine also known by the folk name 'Peacock's Eye'; the market name is Meilland Décor Arlequin

Colour scheme

Two-tone: the front of the petals is cherry-red (cerise / crimson-pink), the reverse pale yellow to pastel yellow; a contrasting 'harlequin' play of colours

Rose neighbours

Chicago Peacefuchsia-pink

Double Delightbicolour

Westerlandorange-gold

Peaceyellow · pink

Perennials to plant nearby

Echinacea 'Cleopatra'purplish-pink

Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'golden yellow

Heuchera 'Caramel'purple foliage

Lavenderlavender

Neighbouring roses

Other bicolour classics — for a dramatic 'carnival' border:

Chicago Peace Double Delight Westerland Peace

Perennial companions

Warm yellow-orange, with purple as contrast to the red-and-yellow:

echinacea 'Cleopatra'rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'heuchera 'Caramel'lavender

Availability worldwide

A classic Meilland from the 1970s — best represented in Europe and Ukraine:

🇫🇷 Europe: Meilland Richardier · Lerose Firenze
🇺🇸 USA: rare, mostly in collections
🇯🇵 Asia: patchy
🇺🇦 Ukraine: VIA ROSA · Dekoplant · Rozarii · Dvir

More about the variety

Hips: Rare
Variations of the variety: In Ukraine also known by the folk name 'Peacock's Eye'; the market name is Meilland Décor Arlequin

How to grow

Where to plant. Formal borders with contrasting yellow-orange perennials, a central accent in a flower bed, group plantings of 3 bushes; as a modern climber, on a low support.

Climate. Down to −23 °C; for all of Ukraine with moderate protection in the northern regions.

Care. Minimal, thanks to high disease resistance. Formative pruning in spring; removing spent flowers encourages new waves.

About the name

Name. 'Décor Arlequin' is French for 'Harlequin decor', after the character of the Italian commedia dell'arte with his legendary multicoloured diamond-patterned costume. The name precisely conveys the contrasting 'harlequin' play of red and yellow. In Ukraine the variety is also known by the folk name 'Peacock's Eye'.

Breeding. IMPORTANT, this is a Meilland variety, not Delbard (a common mistake). Raised by Marie-Louise 'Louisette' Meilland (Paolino) at Meilland International (Antibes, France). Registration code MEIzourayor. Dates: created before 1975 (Gold Medal Rome 1975), registered before 1978, presented in Australia by Ross Roses in 1978, mass available in Europe from 1986. Parentage: [('Zambra'® × 'Zambra'®) × ('Suspense' × 'Suspense')] × 'Arthur Bell' (McGredy 1959).

Significance. Gold Medal Rome 1975. A classic example of Meilland's bicolour breeding of the 1970s; the famous 'peacock's eye'; one of Meilland's signature bicolour roses alongside Pinata, Tequila and Arlequin.

Frequently asked questions about Décor Arlequin

Does Décor Arlequin need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −23 °C (USDA zone 6b–9b). Overwintering depends on the conditions. All of Ukraine with moderate protection.

How many times a season does Décor Arlequin flower?

Repeat flowering from June to late autumn, almost without pauses.

How big does Décor Arlequin grow?

150–200 cm tall, about 100 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Décor Arlequin?

Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. Very resistant to disease; a characteristic feature.

How much sun does Décor Arlequin need?

Sun; full sun for the contrasting bicolour effect.

What does Décor Arlequin smell like?