Rose
Queen Elizabeth Grandiflora Rose
Rosa 'Queen Elizabeth' · Rosaceae
Also called: The Queen Elizabeth Rose, Queen of England
Queen Elizabeth Grandiflora Rose (Rosa 'Queen Elizabeth') is a moderate-water rose well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a fast growth rate. Expect clear medium pink blooms Main flushes March-June and October-February.
Queen Elizabeth Grandiflora Rose at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hrs); morning sun with some afternoon shade in Tucson summers protects blooms and foliage
- Mature size
- 5-8 ft tall (can exceed 6 ft) x 3-4 ft wide; tall, upright habit
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Clear medium pink, Main flushes March-June and October-February; repeat blooms through the year with summer slowdown
- Cold hardiness
- USDA 5-9; fully hardy in Tucson 9a-9b through typical winter frosts
- Soil
- Adaptable; best in deep, well-drained amended soil. Amend Tucson caliche/alkaline soils with organic matter and ensure drainage.
- Native range
- Cultivar bred by Dr. Walter Lammerts, USA, 1954; genus Rosa native to the Northern Hemisphere
- Best used as
- Background/back-of-border shrub, Tall hedge or screen, Cut flowers (long stems), Specimen color
- Wildlife
- Attracts bees and pollinators
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to pets and people; thorny canes
How to grow Queen Elizabeth Grandiflora Rose in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Deep-water to 2-3 ft: roughly weekly in winter, 2-3 times weekly spring/fall, and 3-4 times weekly in summer. Keep the deep root zone consistently moist; avoid shallow frequent sprinkling.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Heavy feeder; apply slow-release rose fertilizer (N and P) every 6 weeks from after Jan/Feb pruning through June, then half-strength or rest in midsummer and resume in September. Add iron/zinc chelates to prevent alkaline-soil chlorosis.
Pruning & care
Prune hard in Jan-Feb; because it grows tall, leave canes longer (this is a vigorous, upright grandiflora) and remove weak/crossing wood. Seal cuts to prevent borers; deadhead to a strong 5-leaflet set during the season.
Notes
The original grandiflora and a proven low-desert performer; very vigorous and tall, so site at the back of beds. Long, strong stems make excellent cut flowers. Good general disease tolerance; hose foliage in early morning to suppress mites.
Sources: https://extension.arizona.edu/publication/rose-care-low-desert; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_%27Queen_Elizabeth%27; https://www.gardeninginthedesert.com/a-guide-to-growing-roses-in-the-desert/