PERLA NEGRA – dark red hybrid tea rose – Delbard
If You dream of a truly romantic front garden rose that simply settles in and performs, PERLA NEGRA is an easy-care hybrid tea that brings velvety drama without demanding expert skills. Its high-centred, elegant blooms open on a bushy, upright shrub ideal for average family gardens, coping well even with Ireland’s wet weather and heavy soils when You provide basic drainage and regular watering. The deep, dark red flowers hold their colour beautifully in sun, giving reliable, repeat flushes from summer on. As a 2-litre own-root plant, it forms a stable, long-lived bush that regenerates well over time, so You can enjoy it for many years with modest pruning and deadheading. Think in terms of a gentle development arc: year one building roots, year two stronger shoots, and by year three a full, satisfying display that looks at home in Your garden.
Use cases
| Target area |
Reason |
| Front garden focal point near the entrance |
Its bushy, upright habit and high-centred hybrid tea blooms create a smart, formal accent that instantly lifts the look of a front path or doorway without taking up too much space, ideal for busy homeowners seeking reliable structure gardeners |
| Small bed of 3–5 roses in a family garden |
Planting a compact group allows the velvety dark red flowers to read as a single, rich block of colour, with the repeat flowering providing a long season of interest that suits families who want impact from a simple planting plan homeowners |
| Cutting patch for home-cut flowers |
The long, straight stems and classic, high-centred flower form make PERLA NEGRA an excellent choice for vases and bouquets, so You can bring that deep, dramatic red indoors without the fuss of specialist cut-flower varieties flower-lovers |
| Mixed border with perennials and shrubs |
Its moderate height and upright shape slot neatly among perennials such as yarrow or verbena, with the strong colour acting as a highlight while the shrub remains compact enough for average borders in Irish family gardens planners |
| Large patio container near a seating area |
Grown in a minimum 40–50 litre container with good compost and drainage, PERLA NEGRA offers close-up enjoyment of its velvety blooms, suiting renters or balcony and patio users who want a showpiece rose without altering the main garden balcony-owners |
| Sunny but occasionally shaded city garden corners |
With its suitability for partial shade, this cultivar copes well where fences, walls or nearby buildings limit direct sun for part of the day, maintaining decent flowering without constant adjustment of planting positions urbanites |
| Low-maintenance decorative bed with basic care |
Average disease resistance and good heat tolerance mean that, with sensible watering and occasional plant-protection, it delivers dependable flowering even during warmer, drier spells that follow periods of Atlantic rain on heavier Irish soils beginners |
| Long-term rose feature that matures over several seasons |
As an own-root rose, it forms its natural shrub shape in situ, steadily building a balanced, resilient framework over the years so the plant can recover well after pruning and continue to flower reliably in the same spot planners |
Decorating ideas
- COTTAGE TRIO – Group 3 PERLA NEGRA with blue verbena and soft ornamental grasses for a relaxed cottage feel around a front gate – ideal for homeowners who like informal charm.
- EVENING DRAMA – Place a single plant in a large terracotta pot by the patio, paired with low silver foliage like lamb’s ear to set off the dark blooms – perfect for balcony-owners and patio users.
- CLASSIC BORDER – Line a short path with PERLA NEGRA and yellow yarrow behind for contrast, creating a neat, traditional front border – suited to those who enjoy timeless, tidy garden structure.
- ROMANTIC FEATURE – Combine as a central specimen with pale hydrangeas and soft pink perennials, letting the deep red flowers provide a luxurious focal point – best for gardeners wanting a romantic look.
- MODERN MINIMAL – Plant PERLA NEGRA against dark gravel or slate mulch with a backdrop of evergreen shrubs for a clean, contemporary scheme – aimed at busy urbanites who prefer bold simplicity.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, commercial name PERLA NEGRA – dark red hybrid tea rose – Delbard; registered as DELurt, ARS exhibition name Perle Noire, in the Hybrid Tea group. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Georges Delbard, France, from complex hybrid tea parentage including Impeccable, Papa Meilland and others; introduced and registered in 1976 by Roseraies Georges Delbard. |
| Growth and structure |
Bushy, upright shrub reaching about 85–115 cm high and 50–70 cm wide, with moderately dense, matte dark green foliage and a moderate number of thorns on the shoots. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high-centred hybrid tea blooms with 26–39 petals, borne mostly singly on stems; pointed, cut-rose style buds deliver classic exhibition-type flowers with good stem length. |
| Colour and phenology |
Extremely dark, velvety burgundy-red flowers with near-black tones in bud, excellent colour retention in sun, fading slowly to muted mauve; remontant with a strong second flush in season. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very weakly scented variety with a delicate, light rosy character; fragrance is usually only noticeable at close range and is not the main ornamental feature of this cultivar. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Rose hips form only occasionally due to the full, double blooms; when present they are ellipsoid, orange-red and around 10–14 mm in diameter, offering modest late-season interest. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (USDA zone 6b, RHS H7), with good heat tolerance; average disease resistance, generally resistant to black spot but moderately susceptible to mildew and rust. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suitable for beds, specimens, hedging units and containers; allow about 50–90 cm spacing depending on use, use rich, well-drained soil, and deadhead spent blooms to maintain flowering and appearance. |
PERLA NEGRA offers dramatic dark red hybrid tea blooms, compact bushy growth and reliable repeat flowering on a long-lived own-root plant, making it a practical, rewarding choice if You would like a dependable rose for Your garden.
