Great Maiden's Blush, close-up of the flower
Photo: Schurdl, CC BY-SA 4.0
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AlbaWhite and cream

Great Maiden's Blush

One of the oldest known garden roses; flowers only once a season; very healthy and hardy, even tolerates shade.

Variety profileGardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat flowering

Once-flowering, in spring or early summer; no repeat flowering. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Awards

RHS AGM

+ ARS Dowager Queen

Winter hardiness

−20 °C

USDA zone 3b. H7; below −20 °C; Ukraine: no cover. Below −20 °C · Ukraine: without winter protection.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

150–250 × 90–150 cm
person 170 cm150–250 cm
Habit
A tall, arching 'fountain' bush with long curved canes
Dimensions
150–250 cm high × 90–150 cm wide
Support
Not needed; a support is advisable if trained as a low climber
Shoots
Long, arching under the weight of the flowers
Branching
No data

Flower

≈ 8 cm

41–50 petals.

Bud shape
Creamy white, round, lightly touched with pink at the petal tips
Open flower
At first globular, opening over time into a delicate rosette; diameter ~8 cm
Fullness
Very double, 41–50 petals
Flower carriage
Singly or in clusters of up to 5

Fragrance

Strong, sweet

Strong, sweet — one of the best-known fragrances among old garden roses.

Sun

Shade-tolerant

Grows even on north walls.

Thorns

Few
thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Few thorns.

Foliage

Blue-green.

Other names

Cuisse de Nymphe, La Séduisante, Incarnata, Maiden's Blush
All characteristics in a table
Group
Alba
Bud shape
Creamy white, round, lightly touched with pink at the petal tips
Open flower
At first globular, opening over time into a delicate rosette; diameter ~8 cm
Colour
Creamy white in bud; when opening, a delicate pale pink blush appears, which gradually fades to creamy white
Fullness
Very double, 41–50 petals
Flower carriage
Singly or in clusters of up to 5
Flowering
Once-flowering, in spring or early summer; no repeat flowering
Fragrance
Strong, sweet — one of the best-known fragrances among old garden roses
Hips
In autumn orange-red hips form — ornamental, attractive to birds
Habit
A tall, arching 'fountain' bush with long curved canes
Branching
No data
Shoots
Long, arching under the weight of the flowers
Thorns
Few thorns.
Dimensions
150–250 cm high × 90–150 cm wide
Support
Not needed; a support is advisable if trained as a low climber
Foliage
Blue-green
Resistance
Very healthy, rarely diseased
Variations of the variety
Parents unknown (Alba class); synonyms — Cuisse de Nymphe, La Séduisante, Incarnata, Maiden's Blush

Colour scheme

Creamy white in bud; when opening, a delicate pale pink blush appears, which gradually fades to creamy white

Rose neighbours

Heritageshell pinkQueen of Swedencool pinkOlivia Rose Austinsoft pinkMunstead Wooddark raspberry · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Lavenderlilac-blueCatmint (Nepeta)blue-violetBetony (Stachys)silver foliageGypsophilawhite

Neighbouring roses

Soft pink roses — one colour family:

HeritageQueen of SwedenOlivia Rose AustinMunstead Wood

Companion perennials

Blue, lilac and silver neighbours set off the soft pink:

lavendercatmint (Nepeta)betony (Stachys)gypsophila

Names in different countries

One of the oldest varieties has had different names in different countries and eras:

🇫🇷 Cuisse de NympheLa SéduisanteIncarnataMaiden's Blush

More about the variety

Hips
In autumn orange-red hips form — ornamental, attractive to birds
Variations of the variety
Parents unknown (Alba class); synonyms — Cuisse de Nymphe, La Séduisante, Incarnata, Maiden's Blush

How to grow

Where to plant. An old-fashioned rose garden, a mixed border, shady spots and north walls, where most roses do not bloom; lovely for a romantic 'country' garden.

Climate. Very high hardiness — USDA 3b–9b, RHS H7, withstands below −20 °C; in Ukraine it overwinters without cover.

Care. Undemanding, very healthy; pruning is minimal — only shaping and removing old canes after flowering, since it flowers only once a season on last year's growth.

About the name

Name. 'Maiden's Blush' is the English for the French name Cuisse de Nymphe, which literally means 'thigh of a nymph' and hints at the delicate pale pink blush appearing on the creamy white petals.

Breeding. The breeder is unknown; the variety appeared before 1597. Its origin is disputed between France and England. It belongs to the Alba class.

Significance. One of the oldest garden roses, celebrated in art; valued for its delicate blush, blue-grey foliage and iron health. Not to be confused with the darker Cuisse de Nymphe Émue (Vibert, 1835) — a different, later variety.

Frequently asked questions about Great Maiden's Blush

Does Great Maiden's Blush need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −20 °C (USDA zone 3b). Overwintering depends on the conditions. H7; below −20 °C; Ukraine: no cover.

How many times a season does Great Maiden's Blush flower?

Once-flowering, in spring or early summer; no repeat flowering.

How big does Great Maiden's Blush grow?

150–250 cm tall, 90–150 cm wide.

How much sun does Great Maiden's Blush need?

Shade-tolerant; grows even on north walls.

What does Great Maiden's Blush smell like?

Strong, sweet — one of the best-known fragrances among old garden roses.

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.