Early days and many or only one more winter to go, but first blooms of hybrida do appear intrinsically, to have “ more petals” … “thats good thing”.
Love leaping from little field data. An age and semi-secure pension thing.
… after bloom done … clone clone clone … within reason to have cane to protect and grow next year … as believe not common, to zero in N/A in public domain …
Looks fantastic–there aren’t many photos showing some of the botanical details up close, so thank you for taking and sharing such good ones. Between the yellow starting color and the shape of the stipules, I’m wondering if “Helenae Hybrida” might not have a touch of something like ‘Goldfinch’ in its background. I’ve seen some nice looking seedlings from HH posted to the European Rose Breeders FB page. The fragrance is supposed to be excellent, too.
I’m excited to hear the robust propagation plans you have for it!
Update after 4 winters on tested (my front gardens south facing climate) for mported multiflora “hybrids”.
Ydrerosen
Survived 3 winters protected and bloomed. Nice bloom. Did not survive 4th.
Rosa helenae ‘Hybrida’ × Super Excelsa.
Ran
R. majalis × Rosa helenae hybrida is doing well as in lives with no protection. Grown as border rose and sparingly blooms pleasant sometimes strange colors favoured by modern painters.
Does not set hips/seed for me (self and for limited crosses).
R. helenae hybrida
Does not do winters well. Starts over as stubs.
No blooms for 3 years except 1st year. Reaches 12-18”.
Lykkefund- selling points thornless and “climber”.
White blend fragrant semi-double seedling of speculated R. helenae hybrida x Zép Drouhin - thornless. Used for seed and pollen parent - no positive results to date.
Would have wrote this rose off for my garden’s climate after 3 winters as behaves like hybrida.
“But, and a big but”” for some reason it put out a 7 to 8 ft one cane wonder last year. No prickles. And not a neighbouring rose. Might be last hooray.
Could not practically protect that length, so l left it unprotected. This spring it appears 60 to 70% of cane length survived.
No black rot as cane green up to ~50% - 65% of length then winter tan above. Buds supple and arching. Cant tape length so estimate but had glasses on.
And top 3 feet showing brown nearly desiccated traits and stiff dark buds (dead from cold).
Guess who is getting pollinated with R. fedtschenkonian this summer if it blooms (and other hardy pollens) ?
Hopefully compatible but be checking on other hardy roses for pollen donors and vice versa.
.
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Wow, that is fantastic (and surprising) news! Given the reports I’ve read that ‘Lykkefund’ was less cold-hardy for people in Scandinavia than “Helenae Hybrida,” it’s almost shocking that it would pull that off there even in a mild winter. It’s enough to make me feel better about not being able to get HH. You should get enough flowers from that cane to pollinate with more than just R. fedtshenkoana!
I can’t imagine why the cross wouldn’t work–the offspring would be triploid, but that isn’t necessarily a problem.
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My ugly photo proof time.
The wretched brown in fore ground is R helenae hybrida - no change - didn’t protect as had thrown in towel for it.
The back cane is the “wtfuss” results for lykkefund this spring. As mentioned did not protect.
Pretty confident l will see taller green and hopefully blooms. Can’t get it all in without losing clarity.
The lone cane on the extreme left and on trellis is the sad remains of nice tall bush of Isabelle Skinner after “ the biker mice from Mars” finished with it over winter … many more eg in bed, including my prize French M. de la Roche Lambert moss which chokes me as is was large.
Still have to finish protecting lykkefund though did finish and install one design change and friend’s suggestion of mice grade wafarin in a pop bottle - good idea wont have birds at it or pets or rain mush.
Addendum
Decided not to be complacent and stupid twice, especially with gift from “Freyja “.
Butt out morning cigar and protection wrapped lykkefund against surface travelling rodents. Only lost one rose in my time where top was good but yanked it and no roots.
As had to go onto its fenced plot against feral rabbits so took some “detail” shots showing relevant physical items. Rarely, but it has happened, have buds failed when they are this well developed in spring. The winter tan line is shown in one photo.
Isabelle near this rose but has prickles, so lykkefund is not a runner, and other aggressive neighbour is Suzanne. No resemblance (spino cross).
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You were not kidding–that thing looks as healthy as a horse! How cold did it get there this winter?
If you can, you should try to pull the upper part of the cane to a slightly more horizontal orientation soon, in order to maximize the number of flowering laterals that develop.
Fairly mild. Nights about 2+ continuous weeks of -20 to -25C.
Not the normal of -30 to -35 C for a couple of days.
These numbers and durations are off the seat of my pants but should be close enough.
Ah, that is pretty mild. I’m surprised that HH couldn’t also handle that–I would have thought that it should be able to, based on everything I’ve read. Very interesting, if unexpected.
There is a high probability I will be attending a Scandinavian rotating rose conference focused on the Scandinavian / Iceland rose experience.
I will be sure to canvass about the Scandinavian participants’ experience with this rose duo and others.
Margit will be the keynote conference speaker.
BTW her Ydrerosen came out of winter with thick healthy canes. Leaf cover protection.
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Zone 4 in protected east facing backyard near Edmonton, Alberta, Canada… 3rd year. Makes seed, vigorous. Dried leaves for winter protection.
Cuttings root easily.
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That sounds really fun and exciting, for both of you! I’d be fascinated to hear any tidbits that you learn. It’s great to see that some R. helenae hybrids are showing promise in cold zones on both sides of the Atlantic. I still find it strange that the species itself is so difficult to find here, at least true to name.
You two who are fortunate enough to have access to both might want to consider crossing ‘Ydrerosen’ with ‘Lykkefund’. You could probably easily get fragrant, everblooming, thornless, and relatively hardy polyantha types from that pairing.
Stefan
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A 4 year test full circle 95% completed today.
First “floret” buds forming.
Now comfortable with saying in the right place in a cold climate garden of - 25C (and lot of clone genetic luck), the multiflora hybrid Lykkefund, will do better then just survive winter without protection.
It will grow significant hardy cane length (after resorting and settling its code down). This is unlike its relative R. helenae hybride next to it in my garden.
Mine substantially increase height during the previous growing season (one cane wonder), and came out of winter with 80 to 90% of its 6 to 7 foot height … after a couple years of starting over.
Now it will also, unless Thor’s hammer strikes, !!bloom!!.
Had lots of once blooming tenders “survive” winter and with protection, but no blooms.
And ending in legalese, YMMV 
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You’re nearly there, finally! Now, I can’t see any clear R. multiflora influence in ‘Lykkefund’, which is probably a good thing considering your more alkaline soil, since R. helenae is likely more tolerant of high pH. This rose also has a much better fragrance than many close R. multiflora hybrids, at least to my nose. Whatever else is in there is also obviously some very good stuff. I have some offspring that I like quite a bit, and/or seem promising for further breeding.
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Just about seals the deal …. 24 hours or less … lots of true hardies waiting patiently … early yellow disappears quickly.
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You could probably get quite a few seeds from that one cluster of flowers alone!
Stefan
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Ok so l was asleep at the wheel, and missed the opening and pollination of the first bloom between days of cold temperatures and days of reoccurring cloud bursts … yes my gardens been missing the heat doom of the midwest and north east …
Explains why photo should be rejected … however new practical knowledge dissemination for me and north america.
Second time it bloomed on winter cane after winter toasting for a couple of seasons (as in way below 0C ) and the bloom size smokes Polstjarnan (sic) making life easier for crossing.
Totally different size framing for me.
And probably why first bud took so long to open - that and cold rain.
First time l needed a magnifying glass and patience l do not possess. Not this season close will do to meet my quality criteria.
As to NA source - not mine - but notice on HMF a photo by friend if vintage … maybe its in their garden.
I wonder if any bees might have visited that lonely first flower in the cold rain (lucky you, avoiding the steam bath that we are enjoying!)–it usually does a fair job of setting open-pollinated hips, and given the other roses you grow, any seed it sets would definitely be worth sowing.
In the U.S., Northland Rosarium has been offering it for a number of years. I’m not sure if there are any other active commercial sources here.
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Yes the blooms size form and weak to well developed ?pointy? fold over bloom tips (use to know right descriptor besides “spent”).
I digress from Lykkefund for couple paragraphs, as l await the on-rush post Stonehenge celestial celebration solar heat to fire it off full tilt.
Anja too has the points and they are very pronounced. It holds promise for Lykkefund of a more interesting plant and garden addition accentuating the dominate white … but in the right climate should see full potential ? eg Cornwall, has no barriers just get over-there as one half of clan steeped well in dark water.
Photos Anja (apricot star burst bloom). Kordes pimpinefolia l really really like up here along with Shepards effort (not my winter hardy).
Plus MF hybrid Ran (Norwegian) that getting stronger every season, and one many of Doc Z’s young A&B’s (laxa core foundation for climate?) being trialed by me, for me - 2 winters no problem and big apricot then pale yellow to white aging blooms and usual critiques l read. Promises to be a good addition to cold zone and stature starved growers.
Also Williams double yellow. Nice intense in your face yellow with little to no fading.
And last, and hardest to make bloom img is Dr FL Skinner by Simonet. This one just missed, or a link, into making beautiful true hardy shrub/ tree of aesthetic value, not a Devonian precursor dressed up as a 9.
It’s been over 5 years since it bloomed after multiple episodes of die downs .. winter hardiness long been questionable in literature yet local arboretum has a 10-12 footer. This year mine bloomed in spades.
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This morning, first bloom caught cleanly opening before the predicted rain. About 2 - 2 1/2” diameter.
Yellow color is same as Helenae hybrida, but Helenae’s more complete coverage. I have not seen a Helenae bloom after its second winter.
Three fully open by 1:37 PM MST.
Well l guess it started, now to dig out the crossing stuff.
Nice fresh blooms of fedtschenckoniana and other hardy ones like L83 available … that latter would be like crossing graceful climber x a Picassos cubist period structured rose.
Being done by cluster assignment to male parent. Only 4 cluster which is better than none. Say 20 to 24 +/- blooms.
Chosen Male (pollen) ones, x RDS, x Fedtschenckonian, x Caroyale, x L83 … 50% Canadian content tries. All selected on basis true hardy in my garden.
May do reverses and partial to Dr FL Skinner (not true hardy) as a pollen parent in one assigned cluster main pollen parent.
And in dawn’s late light the light bulb popped on … A&B a perfect laxa injection if it works, plus other non remembered stuff, to move quickly up curve.
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