Lemon Piano, close-up of the flower
Photo: Agel Rosen
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Hybrid Tea; nostalgicChristian Evers; Rosen-Tantau, 2015Yellow

Lemon Piano

~91 petals in a pompon form; lemon yellow – pale cream – greenish edge; this is Tantau (not Kordes!); 11th variety from the Evers dynasty in the catalogue.

Bud sport of Piano (2007) · the Evers line

Variety profileGardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat

Series

Piano series

Piano 2007 · Red, Pink, Bridal, Happy, Charming, Royal, Lavender, Lemon

Winter hardiness

−20 °C

USDA zone 6. In Ukraine with moderate protection in the north.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

100–130 × 60–70 cm
person 170 cm100–130 cm
Habit
Upright, compact — a typical modern Tantau HT
Dimensions
100–130 × 60–70 cm
Support
No support needed
Shoots
Sturdy, straight, carry heavy pompon flowers well
Branching
Good

Flower

6–8 cm
Bud shape
Round, rich lemon, full
Open flower
Pompon-layered with ~91 petals arranged like chords; over time it becomes cup-shaped. Typical Piano-form.
Centre
Tightly packed, creamy pale yellow, no visible stamens
Fullness
Very full, ~91 petals
Flower carriage
Singly or in small clusters of 2–3 flowers

Fragrance

Faint

Faint — the variety's strength lies in its form, not its scent. Some websites attribute an ADR for scent to it — this is not confirmed on the official Tantau/HMF resources.

Disease resistance

4 out of 5
Black spotmoderate

4/5 — good, on a par with the Piano-series.

Sun

Full sun

Thorns

Moderate
thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Medium number, typical of modern Tantau HTs.

Foliage

Dark green, leathery, healthy.

All characteristics in a table
Group
Hybrid Tea; nostalgic
Breeder
Christian Evers; Rosen-Tantau, Germany, 2015
Bud shape
Round, rich lemon, full
Open flower
Pompon-layered with ~91 petals arranged like chords; over time it becomes cup-shaped. Typical Piano-form.
Centre
Tightly packed, creamy pale yellow, no visible stamens
Colour
Lemon yellow in bud – creamy pale yellow when open – almost white with a greenish tinge on the outer petals as they ripen. A 3-stage colour play.
Fullness
Very full, ~91 petals
Flower carriage
Singly or in small clusters of 2–3 flowers
Flowering
Repeat
Fragrance
Faint — the variety's strength lies in its form, not its scent. Some websites attribute an ADR for scent to it — this is not confirmed on the official Tantau/HMF resources
Hips
Not documented
Habit
Upright, compact — a typical modern Tantau HT
Branching
Good
Shoots
Sturdy, straight, carry heavy pompon flowers well
Thorns
Medium number, typical of modern Tantau HTs.
Dimensions
100–130 × 60–70 cm
Support
No support needed
Foliage
Dark green, leathery, healthy
Resistance
4/5 — good, on a par with the Piano-series
Variations of the variety
Code TAN06240; sport of Piano (TAN01360, Evers/Tantau 2007); parentage of Piano: unknown seedlings. Often wrongly attributed to Kordes (because the 'Piano' brand resembles Kordes Parfuma) — in fact Piano = Tantau / Evers

Colour scheme

Lemon yellow in bud – creamy pale yellow when open – almost white with a greenish tinge on the outer petals as they ripen. A 3-stage colour play.

Rose neighbours

Friesiadeep yellowJulia Childbuttery yellowLandorapure yellowBlue for Yousmoky purple · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

LavenderlavenderDelphiniumblueLamb's ear (Stachys byzantina)silveryLady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis)lime-green

Rose neighbours

Classic yellow family — 3 WFRS HoF + AARS:

FriesiaJulia ChildLandoraBlue for You

Companion perennials

Cool blue-violet family — sets off the lemon-yellow:

lavenderdelphiniumlamb's ear (Stachys byzantina)lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

Availability worldwide

A modern Tantau variety from the Piano series:

  • 🇩🇪 Germany: high · official Tantau
  • 🇪🇺 Europe: high · the Piano series is very popular
  • 🇺🇸 USA: moderate
  • 🇺🇦 Ukraine: moderate · via European nurseries

More about the variety

Hips
Not documented
Variations of the variety
Code TAN06240; sport of Piano (TAN01360, Evers/Tantau 2007); parentage of Piano: unknown seedlings. Often wrongly attributed to Kordes (because the 'Piano' brand resembles Kordes Parfuma) — in fact Piano = Tantau / Evers

How to grow

Where to plant. Mono-yellow borders, formal beds, containers on a terrace; as a cut flower — in wedding bouquets and arrangements thanks to the pompon form; ideal in a group with Landora as 'two yellow Tantaus — an old HT + a modern Piano'.

Climate. Down to −20 °C — in Ukraine with moderate protection; the south without protection.

Care. Classic HT — prune in spring to 3–5 buds; removing spent blooms encourages new flushes; seasonal disease prevention.

About the name

Name. 'Lemon Piano' — belongs to Tantau's Piano-series (Piano 2007 — the series' flagship variety). 'Piano' — compact round buds whose petals look like keys stacked 'like piano chords'. 'Lemon' — for the lemon-yellow colour when open. The Piano-series is extensive: Piano (2007); Red Piano; Pink Piano; Bridal Piano / Wedding Piano; Happy Piano; Charming Piano; Royal Piano; Lavender Piano; Lemon Piano (2015).

Breeding. Bred by Christian Evers at Rosen-Tantau (Uetersen, Germany), market release 2015. Code TAN06240. Sport of the variety Piano (TAN01360, Evers/Tantau 2007); parentage of Piano: unknown seedlings. One of the latest sports in the Piano-series.

Significance. CORRECTION: no officially confirmed AARS/ADR/RHS AGM awards were found. The claim of an 'ADR 2015' appears in non-expert sources and is not confirmed by the ADR list (most likely a mix-up with another Piano). Often wrongly attributed to Kordes — in fact the Piano-series = Tantau / Evers. The 11th variety from the 'Evers dynasty' in our catalogue — alongside Candlelight + Cappuccino + Andre Le Notre + Chippendale + Elfe + Dukat + Friedenslicht + Hansestadt Rostock + Heimatmelodie + Irina. The largest breeding dynasty in the catalogue (Hans Jürgen Evers ~1942–2008 – Christian Evers, the current 4th generation at Tantau). Do not confuse with Lemon Fizz Kolorscape (Kordes, Floribunda) — a different variety.

Frequently asked questions about Lemon Piano

Does Lemon Piano need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −20 °C (USDA zone 6). Overwintering depends on the conditions. In Ukraine with moderate protection in the north.

How many times a season does Lemon Piano flower?

Repeat.

How big does Lemon Piano grow?

100–130 cm tall, 60–70 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Lemon Piano?

Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. Good; typical of the Tantau Piano-series; moderate against black spot.

How much sun does Lemon Piano need?

Sun; full sun.

What does Lemon Piano smell like?

Faint — the variety's strength lies in its form, not its scent. Some websites attribute an ADR for scent to it — this is not confirmed on the official Tantau/HMF resources.

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.