Madam Hardy is a hybrid old Damask rose in the rose family (Rosaceae) bred by Julien-Alexandre Hardy in 1831 and named after his wife Félicité Hardy. This is a vigorous, upright bushy shrub that grows 4-7 feet tall with a 3-5 foot spread. It does best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun but tolerates poorer soils in partial shade. Prune after flowering as it blooms on old wood. Prune lightly the first 2 years then cut back by 1/3rd. The fully double, large cup-shaped flowers are a white-to-white blend with a green button eye and bloom in spring or early summer. It does not repeat bloom but blooms for several weeks. There is a strong sweet fragrance and many prickles on the stems. Use this rose as a specimen Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Very resistant to black spot and mildew. See pests of roses to the left. Roses are browsed by deer. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Rosa .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheRosa 'Belle Poitevine'Rosa 'Celestial'Rosa 'Prosperity'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Rose; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 7 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Matte green compound leaves with 5-7 leaflets
Flower color
Green; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
3-inch white-to-white blend flowers with a green button eye with many petals appear singly or in small clusters in spring to early summer for several weeks. No repeat blooming. Buds are light yellow