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Chrysler Imperial (Rosa 'Chrysler Imperial'), whole plant
  • Chrysler Imperial — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Chrysler Imperial — seasonal appearance
  • Chrysler Imperial in a garden setting

Chrysler Imperial

Rosa 'Chrysler Imperial'

Medium · Some experience

About Chrysler Imperial

Chrysler Imperial is a classic dark crimson hybrid tea rose with exceptionally strong damask fragrance, producing 4 to 5 inch high-centered blooms on 4 to 5 foot upright bushes. A 1953 AARS winner and James Alexander Gamble Fragrance Medal recipient, it remains one of the most fragrant red roses ever bred, beloved by American gardeners for decades.

  • Fragrant
  • Cut-flower
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to -20°F (-29°C)
USDA hardiness zones 5–9

How to care for Chrysler Imperial

Watering

  • Springevery 5 days
  • Summerevery 3 days
  • Fallevery 7 days
  • Winterevery 14 days

Soil · Rich & loamy

  • Top dressingBark mulch15%
  • Main mixRich loam + compost 3:170%
  • DrainageGravel15%

Use fully finished compost — fresh compost burns roots.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 30 days
  • Summerevery 30 days
  • Fallevery 45 days
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At a Glance

  • NativeNorth America
  • Height4–5 ft (1.2–1.5 m)
  • Spread2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m)
  • Flower colorRed, Burgundy
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Rich
  • LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

May–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Deadhead for repeat bloom; prune hard in late winter

Fragrance

STRONG FRAGRANCE

The flowers have a classic damask rose fragrance.

Toxicity

Humans Slight

Unknown toxic principle

Slight

  • Stem
  • Contact

EXPOSURE Touching stems.

EFFECT Pricks from thorns.

NOTE Not toxic; thorns cause mechanical injury.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for dogs; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for cats; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Chrysler Imperial · Native
  • Native
  • North America

History

Illustrated historical scene for Chrysler Imperial

Rosa 'Chrysler Imperial' is a dark red hybrid tea rose bred by American hybridizer Walter Lammerts at the Germain Seed and Plant Company in California, released in 1952. The cross between 'Charlotte Armstrong' and 'Mirandy' produced classic high-centered blooms of deep crimson with up to fifty velvety petals and an intense old-rose and damask fragrance. Named after the Chrysler Imperial luxury car as part of an early cross-promotional arrangement, the cultivar won the All-America Rose Selections award in 1953, the American Rose Society's David Fuerstenberg Prize in 1956, and the James Alexander Gamble Fragrance Medal in 1965.

Though newer cultivars have better disease resistance, 'Chrysler Imperial' remains a sentimental favorite in American gardens and is the parent of many later red hybrid teas.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Chrysler Imperial embodies enduring love, its classic deep red form and rich damask fragrance still beloved more than seventy years after its introduction. Named for a luxury automobile of mid-century America, it carries the gleam of post-war optimism and chrome-bright glamour. This is the rose of long-married couples — a flower whose elegance has not so much faded as become more precious for having lasted through so many decades.

  • Enduring elegance — classic form and fragrance still beloved 70+ years on
  • American mid-century — named for a luxury car of its era

Where the Name Comes From

Named after the Chrysler Imperial luxury car as a 1950s promotional partnership with the automaker.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Deep crimson hybrid-tea flowers carry a powerful damask fragrance

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Chrysler Imperial?

In summer, water about every 3 days; in winter, about every 14 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Chrysler Imperial need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Chrysler Imperial toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Safe (Dogs Safe · Cats Safe) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Chrysler Imperial easy to grow?

It is moderately demanding: a good choice once you have a little experience.

When does Chrysler Imperial bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

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