The April Moon Rose is an heirloom rose that produces large, fragrant blooms all summer long.
The buds of this heirloom rose start out as red, then the blooms slowly unfurl to reveal a lemon yellow rose that can be as large as 5 inches in diameter.
As the April Moon Rose produces its last blooms in the cool weather in fall, the yellow roses will have a blush of red on the tips of each petal.
April Moon Rose Characteristics
Not only are the blooms impressive on this golden oldie, but the rose bush itself is also a show-stopper.
The upright-growing rose bush will reach a mature size of three feet tall and wide.
The new leaf growth starts out as a coppery color, then turns a rich dark green with a leathery texture as leaves reach maturity.
The bush is deciduous, has dense foliage from the ground up and leaves turn yellow in the fall.
Multiple blooms are borne on each stem, with blooms beginning in late spring and lasting until fall frost.
The bush will produce rose hips that can be harvested and used for decor’, tea or jelly making.
How to Plant April Moon Rose
Early spring after all danger of frost is past is the ideal time for planting a April Moon Rose bush.
Choose a location that receives at least 6 hours of daily sunshine and has well draining soil.
Dig a hole twice the size and depth of the rose bush's roots.
Back-fill planting hole and add compost or cow manure, then plant container rose bush at the same depth as it was in the pot.
Firm the soil around the bush, water in well and add two inches of organic mulch around the base of the rose to help retain soil moisture.
April Moon Rose After Care
The April Moon Rose is a very hardy, easy-to-care for plant, that’s one of the reasons it’s been around for so long.
The bush is disease resistant, drought tolerant and is not particular about the soil it’s planted in.
The bush will need to be dead-headed after roses fade throughout the summer.
The dead-heading will stimulate the bush to grow. When the bush needs a more serious pruning, wait until late winter/early spring to do so.
Roses are voracious drinkers and eaters. During the growing season, give your April Moon rose a deep watering (1-2 inches) each week.
Do not feed for the first month to give the roots time to become established, after that, feed bushes monthly.
Established rose bushes need to be fed once in early spring when buds first begin to swell.
Landscape Uses
The April Moon Rose grows into a large shrub and has many uses in the landscape for easy care, fragrant color.
This shrub rose has an upright growing habit and will not require any type of support. When mature, the shrub will 5-6 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide.
This large size makes it ideal for use as a specimen plant in the landscape, for a backdrop plant in a flower bed, or along a fence row.
The continuous summer bloom color and fragrance also make this heirloom rose variety ideal for use as a foundation plant.
Place near an entry way or under a house window so the rose fragrance can be enjoyed all the time.
Cut Flowers
The rose blooms are quite large, reaching 4-5 inches across.
The white petals are tinged with yellow and centered with a vibrant yellow stamen.
A romantic bloom with a color that represents love and purity, an ideal cut flower for weddings, sweet sixteen parties and baby showers.
April Moon Rose blooms from spring until late autumn, providing an abundant supply of blooms for three seasons a year.
These large, fragrant blooms are born on long, strong stems which makes them ideal for cut flowers.
The blooms will last for several days after being cut.
Cut stem at a right angle about 1-2 feet down from the bloom.
Harvest blooms for use as cut flowers in the early morning, just as the bud begins to open for best fragrance and longest lasting flowers.
Attracts Pollinators
This heirloom rose is a favorite of bees and other pollinators. With the bee population dwindling, incorporating flowers that will attract bees and provide them nutrient-rich pollen in your landscape is beneficial.
The bees will thrive and ensure your plants thrive by keeping them pollinated.
Plus you can enjoy the free wildlife show that birds, butterflies and bees put on as they land on the rose bush for a meal.
Since 1984
April Moon Rose has been a landscape favorite since first being introduced in 1984 by Dr. Griffin Buck.
Dr. Buck began breeding roses in the 1950‘s when he started his quest to create a winter hardy rose that would survive harsh Iowa winters where temperatures often plummeted to 30 degrees (Fahrenheit) below zero.
Dr. Buck also wanted a rose that could survive the hot, humid Iowa summers.
He combined several cold hardy rose varieties, along with hybrid teas and diseases resistant varieties and ultimately produced the April Moon Rose in 1984.
Are April Moon Roses Fragrant?
The April Moon rose is a continual bloomer with a soft and sweet fragrance.
