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

Fragrant Cloud

Rosa 'Fragrant Cloud'

Medium · Some experience

About Fragrant Cloud

Fragrant Cloud is one of the most fragrant hybrid tea roses ever bred, producing coral-red 5-inch blooms with an overwhelmingly powerful damask-rose perfume. Growing 4 to 5 feet tall with dark leathery foliage, it won the James Alexander Gamble Fragrance Medal and was inducted into the World Rose Hall of Fame in 1981, a benchmark fragrance rose for American gardens.

  • 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 Fragrant Cloud

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
Get watering reminders for Fragrant Cloud — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • NativeEurope
  • Height3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m)
  • Spread2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m)
  • Flower colorOrange, Coral, Red
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • SoilWell-drained, Loamy, 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 late winter

Fragrance

STRONG FRAGRANCE

Legendary rich spicy damask-citrus scent.

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

Fragrant Cloud · Native
  • Native
  • Europe

History

Illustrated historical scene for Fragrant Cloud

Rosa 'Fragrant Cloud' (German: 'Duftwolke') is a coral-red hybrid tea rose bred by Mathias Tantau Jr. at Uetersen, Germany, released in 1963 from an unknown seedling crossed with 'Prima Ballerina'. The cultivar's strong, complex, spicy damask-and-citrus fragrance is regarded by many rosarians as the finest of any twentieth-century hybrid tea; a single bloom can scent an entire room. 'Fragrant Cloud' won the Royal National Rose Society's President's International Trophy in 1963, the American Rose Society's James Alexander Gamble Fragrance Medal in 1969, and induction into the World Federation of Rose Societies Hall of Fame in 1981.

The blooms open coral-orange and gradually deepen to brick-red with age, and the plant is notably vigorous and disease-resistant. It remains an industry benchmark for rose fragrance.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Fragrant Cloud carries Powerful love — coral-red blooms releasing a fragrance so intense that a single stem can scent a room. That Intoxicating love won it a place in the World Rose Hall of Fame in 1981, an honor reserved for the most enduring varieties. A rose remembered by nose long before it is remembered by eye.

  • Intoxicating love — is known for an intensely rich fragrance
  • Hall of Fame — World Rose Hall of Fame 1981

Where the Name Comes From

Named 'Fragrant Cloud' for the way its powerful perfume seems to envelop the garden like a cloud of scent.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Powerful old-rose perfume on coral-orange hybrid tea blooms
  • Long stems and rich scent prized by florists
  • Award-winning rose for sunny formal beds

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Fragrant Cloud?

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

How much light does Fragrant Cloud need?

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

Is Fragrant Cloud 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 Fragrant Cloud easy to grow?

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

When does Fragrant Cloud bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

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