Polo

Where to plant. First and foremost a cut-flower florist's HT — bred for greenhouses and wedding floristry; it shows its best in wedding and formal white bouquets; one of the top white varieties for wedding floristry thanks to its warmer tone than other whites. But it also grows well in the garden: in the Forest-Steppe and Steppe — in the open or with light cover, in the north — with full cover. A sunny spot, fertile soil.

Climate. USDA 6b+. Bred for greenhouses, but it overwinters in open ground too: in the Forest-Steppe / Steppe — with light cover, in the north — with full cover. Winter does not always come on time — in harsh snowless years dieback is possible, so cover is a safeguard.

Care. In greenhouse conditions — control light and temperature; good vase life.

Name. "Polo" — the game of polo — an association with elegance, the whiteness of polo shirts and the sport of the aristocracy. A marketing name from Tantau in the spirit of "classic British" names (polo, golf, tennis). On the cut-flower market it is often written as "Polo White" to distinguish it from other Polo-varieties.

Breeding. Bred by Hans Jürgen Evers at Rosen-Tantau (Uetersen, Germany). Code TANolop. Introduced 1997. Parentage not documented in HMF (typical Tantau practice for cut roses). A common myth in catalogues: it is sometimes attributed to De Ruiter in the 2000s — this is wrong; the true breeder is Tantau, 1997.

Significance. One of the most popular white cut varieties for weddings, fairs and designer bouquets. The warmer white tone suits "vanilla wedding" concepts, while Polar Star, Mount Everest and Akito are cool whites. High resistance and good vase life — typical of Tantau greenhouse roses. No major official awards (AARS and ADR were not given). PBR (plant variety protection).