Rose
Peace Hybrid Tea Rose
Rosa 'Madame A. Meilland' · Rosaceae
Also called: Peace Rose, Gioia, Gloria Dei, Mme A. Meilland
Peace Hybrid Tea Rose (Rosa 'Madame A. Meilland') is a moderate-water rose well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a moderate growth rate.
Peace Hybrid Tea Rose at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours); in Tucson, afternoon or filtered shade protects the large blooms and foliage from summer sun scald and prolongs flower color.
- Mature size
- 4-6 ft tall and 3-4 ft wide; vigorous, bushy hybrid tea.
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- Large yellow blooms edged with pink/rose blush; classic high-centered hybrid tea form, lightly fragrant., Repeat-blooming spring through fall; best flushes in Tucson are spring and fall, with diminished, smaller bloom during peak summer heat.
- Cold hardiness
- Cold hardy to about USDA zone 5-6 (around -10 to -20°F); hardy in Tucson with minimal frost protection, though tender new growth may be frost-nipped.
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil amended with compost; improve Tucson's caliche/alkaline soils and supplement iron. Prefers near-neutral pH.
- Native range
- Cultivated hybrid tea bred by Francis Meilland, France (introduced 1945); not native.
- Best used as
- Garden/specimen rose, Cut flowers, Rose beds and borders, Showpiece color
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees and pollinators. Reasonably vigorous but watch for powdery mildew, blackspot, rust, aphids, and chili thrips in the low desert.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to humans and pets; thorns pose only physical injury risk.
How to grow Peace Hybrid Tea Rose in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Water deeply and regularly: 2-3 times per week in summer heat, weekly in spring/fall, every 10-14 days in winter. Drip irrigation to 18-24 in depth with 2-3 in of mulch; keep foliage dry to limit disease.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Heavy feeder: fertilize monthly Feb-Oct with rose or balanced fertilizer, adding chelated iron (and occasional Epsom salts) to address chlorosis in Tucson's alkaline soils. Discontinue feeding by late October.
Pruning & care
Prune hard in late winter (mid-January to mid-February), removing dead/crossing canes and shortening healthy canes to 18-24 in with an open center. Deadhead throughout the season to promote continued bloom; this vigorous variety can take fairly hard pruning.
Notes
One of the most famous and beloved roses in the world, vigorous and relatively disease-tolerant for a hybrid tea, with large bicolor yellow-and-pink blooms. Performs well in Tucson with afternoon shade, good air circulation, and consistent feeding/watering. Plant bare-root in January-February.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension / Pima County Master Gardeners rose guides; American Rose Society; Tucson/Phoenix Rose Society low-desert growing guidance