Rose
Mister Lincoln Hybrid Tea Rose
Rosa 'Mister Lincoln' · Rosaceae
Also called: Mr. Lincoln Rose
Mister Lincoln Hybrid Tea Rose (Rosa 'Mister Lincoln') is a moderate-water rose well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a moderate growth rate.
Mister Lincoln Hybrid Tea Rose at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours) for best bloom; in Tucson provide afternoon or filtered shade to protect blooms and foliage from intense summer sun and to extend flower life.
- Mature size
- 4-6 ft tall and 2-3 ft wide; upright hybrid tea form.
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom
- Deep, velvety dark red, large, classic high-centered blooms., Repeat-blooming spring through fall; in Tucson best flushes occur in spring and fall, with reduced bloom and smaller flowers during extreme summer heat.
- Cold hardiness
- Cold hardy to about USDA zone 5-6 (around -10 to -20°F); hardy in Tucson with little frost protection, though tender new growth can be nipped by hard freezes.
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil amended generously with compost; improve Tucson caliche/alkaline soils and supplement iron. Prefers near-neutral pH.
- Native range
- Cultivated hybrid tea (Swim & Weeks, introduced 1964); not native.
- Best used as
- Garden/specimen rose, Cut flowers (long stems, exceptional fragrance), Borders and rose beds, Fragrance gardens
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees and pollinators. More disease- and pest-susceptible than landscape roses; watch for powdery mildew, rust, aphids, and chili thrips in the low desert.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to humans and pets; thorns cause only physical injury.
How to grow Mister Lincoln Hybrid Tea Rose in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Water deeply and consistently: 2-3 times per week in summer heat, weekly in spring/fall, every 10-14 days in winter. Use drip irrigation to 18-24 in depth and maintain 2-3 in of mulch; avoid wetting foliage to reduce disease.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Heavy feeder: fertilize monthly with a rose-specific or balanced fertilizer from Feb through Oct, plus chelated iron and occasional Epsom salts (magnesium) for vigor and to counter Tucson's alkaline-soil chlorosis. Stop by late October.
Pruning & care
Prune hard in late winter (mid-January to mid-February in Tucson), removing dead/weak canes and cutting healthy canes to 18-24 in, opening the center. Deadhead spent blooms throughout the season to encourage repeat flowering.
Notes
Renowned for one of the strongest, most classic rose fragrances and large velvety red blooms, making it a favorite cut-flower and exhibition rose. Requires more care than Knock Out types in Tucson - good air circulation, afternoon shade, and consistent feeding/watering yield the best results. 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