Madame Isaac Pereire is a pink Bourbon rose with floppy blooms and a strong fragrance. It is a vigorous rose that can be grown as a shrub or tied up as a climber.
What Is the Madame Isaac Pereire Rose?
Madame Isaac Pereire is a Bourbon rose, a vigorous climbing type that can also be kept as a shrub. Left on its own it reaches 6-8 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, and it can be trained as a pillar or against a support.
The flowers are carmine-pink, fully double, 5-6 inches across, with 41-55 petals. The heads are loose and can flop, which is part of their charm in the garden.
Fragrance sets it apart. Gardeners describe a strong raspberry scent, and the plant blooms in flushes through the season, with repeat bloom into fall. It tolerates light shade.
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Where Does the Madame Isaac Pereire Rose Grow Best?
This rose is rated for USDA zones 5a through 10b, which covers most of the country apart from the coldest northern tier and the hottest desert pockets.
- Upper Midwest and Northeast: Zone 5 is the cold edge of its range, so places such as Illinois, Michigan and upstate New York suit it, with a sheltered spot helping through winter.
- Mid-Atlantic and the South: Check the state selector below for local conditions and timing.
- Gulf Coast and the Southwest: Zones 9 and 10 in Florida, Louisiana and southern California are still within its rating, so give it light shade where the afternoon sun is hard.
The state selector just beneath this section leads to the page for your state, where the local timing is laid out.
How to Care for the Madame Isaac Pereire Rose Through the Year
Waking Up
As buds swell in spring, the rose pushes out its strong, upright canes. Watch for winter damage on the tips, since that guides how much you remove when you prune.
Pruning
Prune in late winter or early spring to take out winter damage and control size. This timing removes winter damage and helps control its size. Cut back dead or weak wood, then shorten the rest to keep it within its 6-8 feet.
Bloom
The first flush brings the large double flowers and a strong raspberry scent. Heads can droop under their own weight, so tie canes to a support if you want blooms held up where you can smell them.
Summer
Flowers return in flushes through the season, so water at the base and keep the foliage dry. Light shade is tolerated, which helps where summer sun is harsh. Good air around the canes matters here because mildew is the weak point of this rose.
Autumn
Repeat bloom continues into fall. Clear fallen leaves from around the base, since mildew can carry over on debris. Hold off on any heavy cutting, because the pruning belongs to late winter.
Winter
Check the canes for winter damage in late winter or early spring. Leave the canes standing, then check them for damage when late winter arrives and the pruning begins.
Madame Isaac Pereire Rose Diseases and Weak Points
This rose is described as disease-resistant, yet it tends to develop mildew. Mildew is worth planning around when you plant it.
Placement does most of the work. Open spacing and a support that lets air move through the canes keep leaves drier and cut the odds of mildew.
| Threat | How Madame Isaac Pereire handles it |
|---|---|
| General disease | Described as disease-resistant |
| Mildew | Tends to develop it |
| Winter damage | Prune in late winter or early spring to remove it |
| Shade | Tolerates light shade |
Floppy flower heads are a habit rather than a disease. They make the blooms hard to arrange in a vase, but the fragrance still fills a room.
Is the Madame Isaac Pereire Rose Right for Your Yard?
It suits a yard with room for a plant 6-8 feet tall, a fence, wall or pillar to lean on, and a gardener who wants scent more than tidy flower heads. Plan to prune in late winter or early spring.
- Choose it for a trellis, arbor or post where the fragrance can reach a path or seating area.
- Skip it if you want a compact bush or want to avoid a rose that tends to develop mildew.
- Open your state page from the selector above to check the local pruning months before you cut.
Common Questions
Can Madame Isaac Pereire Be Grown as a Climber?
Yes. It is a vigorous climbing rose that can be trained as a pillar or on a support, or kept as a shrub.
Does Madame Isaac Pereire Bloom More than Once?
It blooms in flushes throughout the season, with repeat bloom through fall.
Does Madame Isaac Pereire Need Full Sun?
It tolerates light shade, so a spot that loses some sun in the day still works.