Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Noëlla Nabonnand

Noëlla Nabonnand, Paul Nabonnand 1901

Climbing Tea 

Parentage: Reine Marie Henriette X Bardou Job 

Paul Nabonnand himself was very fond of Noëlla Nabonnand and when I spoke to the people of the Nabonnand society they told me it was their favorite Nabonnand variety too. So what's so special about Noëlla Nabonnand? 

To begin with, her parents are both dark red climbers, one a climbing HT and the other a Hybrid Bourbon. Both are strongly fragrant. 
Noëlla is also a climber and she can reach 350 cm or 11 feet easily. Her buds are very pointed high centered and red. They unfold in huge, double, deep Crimson with white undertones blooms. They look like giant red butterflies 🦋. They stand in small clusters and spread a strong peculiar fragrance like no other rose. 
The late spring flush is extremely abundant with the plant being covered with those giant flat saucers. She keeps on flowering but the next big flush is in August. She's seldom without blooms. 
Her foliage is extremely healthy and light green. Her wood is rather thin and flexible which makes it ideal to train, especially on an Obelisk, pyramid or tripod. Soon the whole structure will be covered with blooms. 

Despite of being Crimson red the flowers can withstand considerable heat and also drought. Even in heatwaves Noëlla will keep on blooming and growing. She's made for this hot climate. 
Having Bourbon blood means she's very hardy for a Tea, zone 6b to 11b. Partial shade is tolerated. Exposed to full sun in the hot summer months her flowers turn deep purple like the capes of kings and emperors but they don't burn. 
A gem from the great master Paul Nabonnand. 
In America you must make sure to buy the right Noëlla Nabonnand as she's often sold under that name but in fact it's her sister Marie Nabonnand. This Marie Nabonnand has lighter red blooms, they are smaller and they don't have the white undertones. She does however blooms constantly. So be careful with buying the wrong Nabonnand! In Europe and Australia it's 100% Noëlla 


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