CANDY STRIPE – pink-white hybrid tea rose - McCummings
Bring a touch of seaside charm to your garden with CANDY STRIPE, a pink‑and‑white striped hybrid tea rose that thrives in breezy, exposed spots while coping well with brisk coastal winds and driving rain. Its upright habit and moderate height make it ideal for snug family plots, narrow beds and smart veranda pots, where the large, high‑centred blooms show off their striped petals from early summer onwards. As an own‑root plant it develops a durable, well‑anchored framework with the ability to regenerate after harsh weather, giving you steady colour and reliability without complex pruning routines. In the first year it focuses on root strength, the second brings more structured growth, and by the third you can expect full ornamental value with abundant, repeat flowering. The long‑lasting, strongly scented blooms are perfect for picking, filling your home with fragrance and colour, while pollinator‑friendly, open‑centred flowers support garden wildlife in a relaxed, coastal‑inspired setting that still feels effortlessly elegant.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Small coastal family garden bed |
CANDY STRIPE’s moderate height and upright habit slip easily into narrow borders, giving reliable structure and colour without overshadowing other planting, suiting wind‑touched coastal plots that need robust yet graceful rose choices for beginners. |
| Feature rose in a 50–70 litre container |
In a large, well‑drained pot it builds a strong root system and upright frame, allowing you to enjoy its striped hybrid tea blooms and scent on a sunny veranda, with watering and dead‑heading as the main tasks for busy-owners. |
| Cutting patch near the patio |
The long‑stemmed, high‑centred flowers are ideal for vases, and remontant flowering ensures a steady supply of candy‑striped blooms through summer, rewarding simple, regular cutting and basic care for home-florists. |
| Sunny, sheltered coastal sitting area |
Planted near a seating nook, its strong, long‑lasting scent and repeat blooms create a calm retreat, while its own‑root stamina helps it cope with breezy, salt‑flavoured air and seasonal weather shifts appreciated by veranda-owners. |
| Mixed border with perennials |
Its upright, moderately dense foliage lets you weave in companions like Alchemilla, Mexican daisies and low daylilies, the striped flowers adding rhythm without dominating, ideal for naturalistic combinations curated by style-lovers. |
| Low, informal hedge or row |
At 40–50 cm spacing, it forms a softly upright line of pink‑and‑white blooms that guides the eye and gently screens views, while own‑root resilience supports a long‑lived planting for homeowners. |
| Wildlife-friendly family space |
Its full yet accessible flowers are particularly attractive to bees and other pollinators, so a small group of plants can add both colour and ecological interest with only moderate maintenance for nature-lovers. |
| Clay soil border with improved drainage |
In UK gardens with heavier soils, planting into a loosened, grit‑enriched pocket helps this upright, own‑root hybrid tea establish firmly, manage moisture and stay stable in winter wet for practical-minded gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Veranda retreat – Grow CANDY STRIPE in a 50–70 litre container with soft blue Festuca and a pale bistro set for a breezy, coastal tea corner – ideal for veranda-owners wanting easy fragrance.
- Candy walkway – Line a short path with evenly spaced plants, underplanted with Erigeron karvinskianus, for a striped ribbon of colour and gentle buzz – suited to families who like cheerful structure.
- Seaside border – Combine CANDY STRIPE with sea kale, lavender and grasses to echo shingle colours while the rose adds scent and vertical focus – for coastal-style lovers seeking low-fuss drama.
- Cut-flower patch – Dedicate a sunny strip to rows of this hybrid tea, keeping access clear for picking its long, scented stems – perfect for hobby florists who enjoy simple harvesting.
- Pollinator nook – Group three plants with lady’s mantle and low daylilies near a bench so bees and colour meet where you sit – appealing to beginners wanting wildlife interest without complexity.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose CANDY STRIPE – exhibition hybrid tea, ARS exhibition name ‘Candy Stripe’; commercial type and group hybrid tea rose, introduced under the trade name Candy Stripe McCummings. |
| Origin and breeding |
Sport of ‘Pink Peace’, bred by Edward McCummings in the USA around 1962, introduced and first distributed by Conard‑Pyle in 1963, with subsequent international garden and cut‑flower use. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright habit with moderately dense, dark green, matt foliage; height around 80–110 cm, spread 60–85 cm, moderately thorny stems and weak self‑cleaning so spent blooms benefit from removal. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high‑centred hybrid tea blooms with 26–39 petals, typically borne singly on stems; flower size approximately 2.75–3.95 inches, remontant with a notably abundant second flush. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Mid‑pink petals irregularly streaked with cream‑white; buds darker pink with pale streaks, colours lighten as flowers open, with cooler weather intensifying striping and strong sun softening contrast. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Known for a strong, long‑lasting scent despite limited formal description; blooms hold fragrance well for garden enjoyment and cutting, contributing both perfumed presence and nostalgic character. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces numerous small, spherical rose hips around 8–12 mm across, orange‑red RHS 037A, offering additional late‑season ornamental interest and subtle structure after the main flowering period. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H7 with USDA zone 6b hardiness, tolerating approximately −21 to −18 °C; moderate drought tolerance with regular watering needed in dry spells, and generally good resistance to mildew and black spot. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well‑drained soil; plant 40–75 cm apart depending on use, at around 4.2–4.8 plants/m² for massing; moderate care includes dead‑heading and routine pest and disease checks. |
CANDY STRIPE combines striking striped hybrid tea blooms, strong fragrance and reliable repeat flowering with the long-lived resilience of an own-root rose, making it a thoughtful choice if you want lasting colour with manageable care.
