Hybrid tea rose

53-081-1
53-081-2

Blue River ®

Hybrid tea rose

KORsicht – Reimer Kordes

Rich lilac–mallow tone. The edges of the outer petals are more vivid, the inner surfaces are silvered. - hybrid tea rose - very strong, long-lasting scented rose - scent description not available

– Striking purple blooms with silvery-lilac tones
– Elegant high-centred form for classic bouquets
– Remontant habit with abundant second flowering
– Very strong, long-lasting fragrance
– Good heat and drought tolerance for summers
Special feature: Gold Medal winner Baden-Baden 1985.
Low maintenance – Eco-friendly garden design
Blue River ®
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root potted rose
18,80 €
Out of stock. In cultivation. Temporarily unavailable.
4.5 (6779)
facebook   twitter

BLUE RIVER ® – purple hybrid tea rose – KORsicht

BLUE RIVER ® is a classic hybrid tea for Irish gardens, combining elegance, reliability and strong, long-lasting fragrance in a compact, upright bush that fits easily into front beds and smaller borders. Its high-centred blooms open from deep purple buds into cool, silvery-lilac flowers that look especially refined in cottage-style settings and beside driveways. As an own-root plant, it settles in steadily and offers a reassuringly long-lived, regenerating structure that copes well with sun and the kind of frequent rain and heavy soil typical of Irish gardens, provided You ensure basic drainage. In year one it focuses on roots, year two brings fuller shoots, and by year three You enjoy its full ornamental display with repeat-flowering, cuttable blooms that keep Your garden and vases richly coloured.


Freshly opened Blue River® bloom with vivid purple petals and magenta edging.
Blue River ® in closed bud stage

Use cases

Target area Reason
Front garden focal point near the entrance The upright, compact habit and exhibition-style, high-centred blooms make BLUE RIVER ® an excellent single accent beside a path, gate or front door, giving a smart, “looked-after” feel with relatively few tasks for the beginner
Mixed flower bed with perennials Its medium height and neat outline let You weave it among perennials without shading them out, while remontant flowering brings repeated colour waves that keep the border lively through summer for the busy home gardener
Cutting patch for home flower arrangements The high-centred, long-stemmed blooms were bred for cutting, and the very strong scent makes even a small bunch fill a room, so one to three plants can supply regular vase material for the practical flower-loving householder
Small group planting in a front border Planted in a group of three to five at the recommended spacing, the matching lilac-purple tones read as one generous clump, simplifying design decisions for those wanting a harmonious, easy-plan scheme for the time-pressed owner
Sunny bed with basic, low-effort care Medium maintenance needs and good heat tolerance mean that with simple watering in dry spells and occasional deadheading, BLUE RIVER ® will perform steadily, suiting people who enjoy results but prefer few, clear tasks as gardeners
Coastal or wind-exposed urban front garden The sturdy, upright growth and own-root resilience help the plant cope where gardens are open to wind and changeable weather, offering stable structure without complicated protection in smaller, more exposed spaces for coastal homeowners
Large patio container near seating Grown in a quality 40–50 litre container with good compost, its manageable size, strong perfume and repeat blooms bring a sense of luxury to balconies and terraces while remaining easy to look after for urban balcony and patio users
Ornamental bed in heavier or wetter soil In Irish gardens with heavier soils, planting in improved soil with good drainage lets the own-root plant establish a robust frame that copes calmly with regular rain and challenging moisture patterns for the cautious new gardener

Decorating ideas

  • Romantic front-door pair – Plant two BLUE RIVER ® roses flanking your entrance path, underplanted with lavender for scent and soft edging – ideal for homeowners wanting a welcoming, traditional feel.
  • Cottage-mix border – Combine BLUE RIVER ® with foxgloves, hardy geraniums and Physostegia for layered lilac and pink tones – perfect for fans of relaxed, rural cottage gardens.
  • Evening scent corner – Place one rose near a bench or terrace, with white hydrangeas and silvery Artemisia to catch twilight light – suited to those who enjoy sitting out after work.
  • Modern lilac accent – Use BLUE RIVER ® as a single statement in a gravel bed with clipped box and slate mulch, letting its unusual colour stand out – great for small urban front gardens.
  • Cutting-and-herb space – Mix this rose with rosemary, sage and calendula near the kitchen, giving both herbs and perfumed stems for the vase – ideal for practical gardeners who like multipurpose beds.

Technical cultivar profile
Parameter Data
Name and registration Hybrid tea rose; registered as KORsicht, marketed as BLUE RIVER ®. Trade name on pharmarosa.ie: BLUE RIVER ® – purple hybrid tea rose – Kordes. ARS exhibition name: Blue River.
Origin and breeding Bred by Reimer Kordes, W. Kordes’ Söhne, Germany. Cross of ‘Blue Moon’ × ‘Zorina’. Introduced and registered in 1984, within the hybrid tea commercial group.
Awards and recognitions Gold Medal at the Baden-Baden rose trials in 1985, highlighting its ornamental performance and flower quality among contemporary hybrid tea introductions.
Growth and structure Upright, medium-height bush, around 75–105 cm tall and 60–80 cm wide. Moderately dense, dark green foliage with moderate prickliness. Spent blooms usually require deadheading as self-cleaning is weak.
Flower morphology Classic hybrid tea form with high-centred, pointed buds on mainly solitary stems. Double flowers with approximately 26–39 petals, medium-sized (about 1.5–2.75 inches across) and remontant, with an abundant second flush.
Colour and phenology Closed buds deep dark purple with bluish sheen. Freshly opened blooms vivid purple with magenta edges, maturing to rich lilac-mallow, then soft silvery-lilac. Colour lightens in strong sun; overall effect is cool, refined purple.
Fragrance and aroma Very strong, long-lasting scent typical of scented hybrid teas. Exact fragrance notes not specified, but intensity makes it suitable for planting where the perfume can be appreciated near seating or paths.
Rose hip characteristics Moderate production of ovoid orange-red hips, around 10–14 mm across, appearing in autumn. Hips can add a modest decorative element if some spent flowers are left uncut in late season.
Resistance and hardiness Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3). Good heat tolerance if watered in prolonged drought. Disease resistance moderate: black spot resistant, very susceptible to powdery mildew, rust moderate.
Horticultural recommendations Best in full sun with open air movement and well-drained soil. Medium maintenance: regular watering in dry spells, feeding, and deadheading recommended; occasional fungicide may be needed, particularly against powdery mildew in humid spells.

BLUE RIVER ® offers compact structure, repeat-flowering, strongly scented blooms and the long, steady performance of an own-root hybrid tea, making it a dependable choice if You would like a refined purple rose in your garden.

Detailed product attributes

Product Identification Data

Product Name: BLUE RIVER ® – purple hybrid tea rose - Kordes
Product Type: pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL - 2-litre own-root potted rose
Cultivar Authenticity: Verified:13.10.2025
Cultivar Merit Rating: premium bronze
Item Number: [1018] 53-081 (14.02.2026) pharmarosa.ie

Name and Registration

Cultivar Name Meaning: The name "Kék Folyó" refers to the petals' cool lilac hue.
Synonym Name: Blue Lake; Blue Rive
Trade Name: Blue River ® Hybrid tea rose KORsicht
Rose Group: Hybrid Tea
Commercial Type: hybrid tea rose
Commercial Group: Hybrid tea rose
Exhibition Category: cut flower; exhibition hybrid tea
Collection: Hybrid tea rose

Origin and Breeding

Initial Distributor: W. Kordes’ Söhne (Germany)
Breeder: Reimer Kordes
Breeding Company / Institution: W. Kordes’ Söhne (Germany)
Breeding Year: Germany, 1984
Parentage: ‘Blue Moon’ × ‘Zorina’

Growth and Structural Characteristics

Height: 2.5-3.4ft (75-105 cm)
Spread: 2-2.6ft (60-80 cm)
Growth Habit: upright
Foliage: The variety has moderately dense foliage. The surface characteristics of the leaves are not clearly classifiable and their colour is a dark green shade.
Prickliness: moderately thorny
Self-Cleaning Description: Most of the spent flowers remain on the plant and require subsequent cleaning (deadheading).
Self-Cleaning Intensity: self-cleaning: weak

Flower Morphology

Petal Count: 26-39
Flower Fullness: double-flowered
Flower Form: high-centred, pointed-budded (cut-rose type)
Flower Size: M (1,5-2,75 in)
Inflorescence Type: solitary
Colour Code: ARS code: mb RHS code: 73B (outer), 76D (inner)
Repeat Flowering: Remontant, with an abundant second flowering.

Colour Data and Phenology

Colour: purple
Flower Colour: Rich lilac–mallow tone. The edges of the outer petals are more vivid, the inner surfaces are silvered.
Closed Bud: Deep, dark purple shade with a slight bluish sheen.
Freshly Opened Flower: Vivid purple base colour with a magenta edging along the petal margins.
Full Bloom: Soft, silvery-lilac centre, gradually deepening to a mauve-lilac towards the outer petals.
Pre-Fading Flower: Pale silvery blue‑lilac tone with a delicate pink edge.
Colour Fading Description: As it opens, the deep crimson-purple gradually fades to a soft, silvery-lilac tone; in strong sunlight it may lighten further.

Fragrance and Aroma

Fragrance Strength: very strong, long-lasting scented rose
Fragrance Character: scent description not available
Pollinator Attraction: Double (fully double) blooms with reduced stamen accessibility moderately attract pollinators.
Pollinator-Friendly Rating: Partially pollinator-friendly, primarily an ornamental variety

Rose Hip Characteristics

Rose Hip Colour: orange-red
Rose Hip Notes: Moderately produced in autumn, a 10–14 mm diameter, ovoid, orange‑red rose hip that may have ornamental value.

Resistance and Hardiness

Hardiness (°C): -21–-18 °C
Heat and Drought Tolerance Description: Tolerates heat well; in prolonged drought it requires regular watering.
Disease Resistance: moderate
  • powdery mildew – very susceptible
  • black spot – resistant
  • rust – moderate

Horticultural Recommendations

Recommended Spacing: for mass planting 60 cm, for hedging 50 cm, as a solitary specimen 90 cm
Planting Density: in square planting 2,8 plants/m², in hexagonal arrangement 3,2 plants/m²
Partial Shade Tolerance: preferably in a sunny position
Maintenance Requirements: Maintenance requirement medium; occasional plant protection may be necessary, especially against powdery mildew.
Key Uses: flower bed, border, specimen, cut flower, container

Notes

Strengths: Low maintenance – Eco-friendly garden design
Companion Plants: Clematis 'Little Artist' - clematis Artemisia vulgaris 'Oriental Limelight' - mugwort Physostegia virginiana 'Rosea' - Virginia obedient plant
Note: -
BLUE RIVER ® – purple hybrid tea rose - Kordes
Rich lilac–mallow tone. The edges of the outer petals are more vivid, the inner surfaces are silvered. - hybrid tea rose - very strong, long-lasting scented rose - scent description not available
Online rose order - purple - hybrid tea rose - Blue River ® - (2.5-3.4ft (75-105 cm))
Inflorescence: solitary Height: 2.5-3.4ft (75-105 cm) Flower shape: high-centred, pointed-budded (cut-rose type) Winter hardiness: 5b purple - W. Kordes’ Söhne (Germany) hybrid tea rose - Flower size: M (1,5-2,75 in) Flower size: M (1,5-2,75 in) - Height: 2.5-3.4ft (75-105 cm) Height: 2.5-3.4ft (75-105 cm) - Flower fullness: double-flowered Blue River ® - Roses in the garden | pharmaROSA® Original - premium bronze Reimer Kordes

We showcase the external appearance of the roses available for online purchase from our webshop.


Which product type is right for you?


Information

In what condition do we send the rose from our online webshop?

Let us ask ourselves the question. What would I like to use the rose for?
Flower? - Location? - Screening? - Fragrance? - Height? - Breeder? - Rose hip?

Rose purchasing information
Payment methods - Delivery costs - Delivery - Complaints handling

Care guide

Our product is a rose grown with unique pharmaROSA® cultivation technology!

2 litre, own-root, potted rose.
With shoots appropriate to the season.
With roots thoroughly interwoven through the growing medium.
Quality in line with the requirements of the E.N.A. (European Nurserystock Association).
In unique packaging that prevents damage.
Can be planted during frost-free periods.
True-to-type rose plant with an individual identifier.

The pharmaROSA® own-root potted rose is a well-rooted plant that supports reliable establishment when planted and cared for properly, so it can be planted whenever the soil is not frozen.


Stock: several varieties and several stages of development in a short stock section.
Shoot system: intensive growth of fresh basal shoots on a young plant.
Root system: presentation of the strong root system interwoven through the growing medium with the pot removed.
Balance: mature plant where the development of the root system and the shoots is in harmony.

Information about the videos
The video series is not a “seasonal showcase”, but makes the essence of pharmaROSA® own-root production tangible: how the plant is built, what the root system is like and how the shoots renew themselves. The footage was therefore taken at different times, showing plants at different stages of development, so mixed leaf coverage or differing growth stages may appear in the videos. This is not a “sample” of the batch delivered, but an illustration of how the technology works. The current condition of the rose available to order — typical of the given period and similar to what you can expect to receive in the parcel — is shown at the top of the product page.

pharmarosa.bepharmarosa.compharmarosa.skpharmarosa.espharmarosa.czpharmarosa.ropharmarosa.plpharmarosa.itpharmarosa.hrpharmarosa.sipharmarosa.atpharmarosa.frpharmarosa.nlpharmarosa.depharmarosa.grpharmarosa.dkpharmarosa.iepharmarosa.ptpharmarosa.bgpharmarosa.ltpharmarosa.sepharmarosa.lvpharmarosa.eepharmarosa.fipharmarosa.rudarinarose.co.uk

Product types

Pages for private customers
Garden roses for the family garden, with minimal care  → ORIGINAL®
Premium garden roses – instant impact, a truly showpiece garden  → EXTRA®
Pages for professionals and private customers
Roses for public spaces – large areas, sustainable maintenance  → NATURAL®
Roses for projects – hedge and row planting, fast implementation  → RAPID®
For professional partners only
Production – propagation material for garden roses, wholesale  → NEONATAL®

Company details

PharmaRosa Ltd.
Company registration number: 01-09-717479
VAT number: 13075314-2-43
Plant health registration no.: HU130721
Bank account (IBAN):
HU85117631891388688400000000
BIC (SWIFT): OTPVHUHB
Bank name: OTP Bank Nyrt.