Rose
Belinda's Dream Shrub Rose
Rosa 'Belinda's Dream' · Rosaceae
Also called: Belinda's Dream
Belinda's Dream Shrub Rose (Rosa 'Belinda's Dream') is a low-water rose well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a moderate growth rate. Expect soft medium pink, fully double blooms Repeat-flowering spring through fall, heaviest in the cooler March-June and Oct…
Belinda's Dream Shrub Rose at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hrs); tolerates light afternoon shade in Tucson. One of the more heat- and drought-tolerant roses once established.
- Mature size
- 4-6 ft tall x 3-4 ft wide, upright rounded shrub
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- Soft medium pink, fully double, Repeat-flowering spring through fall, heaviest in the cooler March-June and Oct-Nov windows
- Cold hardiness
- USDA 5-9; fully hardy in Tucson 9a-9b through winter frosts
- Soil
- Outstanding soil adaptability, including highly alkaline clay; excellent choice for unamended or difficult Tucson soils, though it still benefits from good drainage
- Native range
- Cultivar bred by Dr. Robert Basye, Texas, USA, 1988 (intro. 1992); genus Rosa native to the Northern Hemisphere
- Best used as
- Low-water landscape shrub, Hedge/border, Cut flowers (fragrant), Earth-Kind/xeric rose plantings
- Wildlife
- Attracts bees and pollinators
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to pets and people; thorny
How to grow Belinda's Dream Shrub Rose in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Deep, infrequent irrigation to 2-3 ft. Established plants are notably drought-tolerant: weekly or less in winter, ~2 times weekly spring/fall, and 2-3 times weekly in peak summer. Water deeply rather than often.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Lower input than hybrid teas (an Earth-Kind rose). A slow-release rose fertilizer every 6-8 weeks spring through early summer is sufficient; add iron chelate if leaves yellow in alkaline soil. Avoid over-feeding.
Pruning & care
Low-maintenance: prune lightly in Jan-Feb to shape and remove dead/weak wood; it needs less hard pruning than hybrid teas. Deadhead for tidiness; seal large cuts against borers.
Notes
First rose named a Texas Superstar and an Earth-Kind designee: field-proven resistance to black spot and powdery mildew, plus heat, drought, wind, and alkaline-soil tolerance. One of the best low-input, low-water roses for Tucson landscapes.
Sources: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkindroses/cultivars/belindas-dream/; https://roses.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/07/BelindasDream.pdf; https://extension.arizona.edu/publication/rose-care-low-desert