Meirameca

Rose

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Noatraum' (Flower Carpet Pink)

Summary: The young shoots of 'Meirameca' have weak anthocyanin colouration while those of 'Noatraum' have none. 'Meirameca' has red brown prickles/thorns on the stem whereas those of 'Noatraum' are pink brown. 'Meirameca' has smaller leaves than 'Noatraum'. The flowers of 'Meirameca' have fewer petals and are lighter purple red than those of 'Noatraum'.

Description:

'Meirameca' is a groundcover type landscape rose variety with spreading and trailing plant growth habit. The young shoots have weak anthocyanin colouration. There are sparse short prickles and an average number of long prickles on the stem. The prickles/thorns are red brown and range from linear (needle shaped) to deep concave in shape. The upper side of the leaf is dark green with very strong glossiness. There are five to seven leaflets per leaf. The terminal leaflet has a rounded base, serrate margin and leathery texture.

'Meirameca' begins flowering mid-season and flowers almost continuously for six to ten weeks. There are a medium number of flowers (4-14) per flowering stem. The pedicels of the flower have a few hairs or prickles and the sepals have absent to very weak extensions. In longitudinal section, the flower buds are globular in shape. When viewed from above, the fully opened flower is round. When viewed from the side, the upper and lower parts of the fully opened flower are flattened convex. The flowers have a normal center and absent to very weak fragrance. 'Meirameca' produces semi-double type flowers which are dark purple red to dark pink red in colour. The petals have a small, white petal spot on both the inner and outer sides. The petal margins are weakly undulating and weakly reflexed. The outer stamens have yellow filaments. The style is yellow green, medium in length and weakly pubescent on the upper half. The stigma is positioned below the anthers. The receptacle is small and pitcher to pear shaped with no prickles. 'Meirameca' is resistant to mildew and black spot.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Meirameca' resulted from a breeding program whose goal was to develop improved landscape shrub roses. It originated from crossing the female parent, variety 'Noatraum', with an unnamed male parent whose parentage is 'Meibonrib' x 'Korimo'. The cross was performed at Selection Meilland in Le Cannet des Maures, Le Luc en Provence, France in June of 1994. 'Meirameca' was selected from the seedling population in July of 1997 based on its attractive semi-double, pink flowers and vigorous, creeping plant growth habit.

Tests & Trials: The test and trial for 'Meirameca' was conducted during the summer of 2005 at Variety Rights Management in Oxford Station, Ontario. The trial included 10 plants of each variety. The roses were field planted 40 cm apart in rows which were spaced 45 cm apart. All colour characteristics were determined using the 2001 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour chart and measured characteristics were based on ten plant measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Meirameca' with reference variety 'Noatraum'

Leaf length (mm)

Leaf width (mm)

flower colour (RHS)

Colour of inner side of petals (RHS)

Colour of outer side of petals (RHS)

Click on image for larger view

Rose: 'Meirameca' (left) with reference variety 'Noatraum' (right)