Spring 1912 - Some New Fruits originated by N. E. Hansen in the Fruit Breeding Laboratory of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (page 5)

A New Hybrid Rose
TETONKAHA ROSE.
Offered for the first time. Tetonkaha is the west lake of the chain of lakes known as Lake Oakwood, about eighteen miles northwest of this station. Tetonkaha was an Indian maiden who lost her life many years ago in this vicinity as the penalty for saving her white lover and his people from an Indian massacre.

The Tetonkaha Rose is a seedling of the wild prairie rose from the banks of this lake, crossed with pollen of a hybrid of the Siberian Rosa rugosa, so that it is a combination of at least three species. In the 100 seedlings obtained from this cross, 74 are double and 26 single. All identical in color, a deep pink, and all fragrant. It is now time to transplant these plants and they have formed many root sprouts. The blossoms on the 74 double-flowered plants are practically Identical and the stock offered consists of these sprouts from the original seedlings. The flowers are fully 3 inches in diameter; the bush is perfectly hardy, flowering abundantly in June; about 18 to 25 petals, deep rich pink; very fragrant; appears desirable for dwarf hedges or as an ornamental shrub. The habit is more upright and the flowers are less concealed by the foliage than in the pure Rosa rugosa. Plants 50c each.

South Dakota State University Agricultural Experiment Station
Bulletin 240 (June 1929) pp. 37-38
Hardy Roses for South Dakota
N.E. Hansen

Tetonkaha.--Origin : N. E. Hansen, 1912. The following is from the original circular of introduction, spring 1912, of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station:

"Offered for the first time. Tetonkaha is the west lake of the chain of lakes known as Lake Oakwood, about eighteen miles northwest of this station. Tetonkaha was an Indian maiden who lost her life many years ago in this vicinity as the penalty for saving her white lover and his people from an Indian massacre.

"The Tetonkaha Rose is a seedling of the wild prairie rose from the banks of this lake, crossed with pollen of a hybrid of the Siberian Rosa rugosa, so that it is a combination of at least three species. In the 100 seedlings obtained from this cross, 74 are double and 26 single, all identical in color, a deep pink, and all fragrant. It is now time to transplant these plants and they have formed many root sprouts. The blossoms on the 74 double-flowered plants are practically identical and the stock offered consists of these sprouts from the original seedlings. The flowers are fully 3 inches in diameter; the bush is perfectly hardy, flowering abundantly in June; about 18 to 25 petals, deep rich pink; very fragrant; appears desirable for dwarf hedges or as an ornamental shrub. The habit is more upright and the flowers are less concealed by the foliage than in the pure Rosa rugosa."

From the 1918 spring list: "This Tetonkaha rose proves absolutely hardy and very desirable in many places. It is a very free bloomer. Plants of strong growth, and as they sprout freely, it should not be necessary to propagate on tender commercial stocks or from cuttings."

Pedigree of Tetonkaha Rose

The exact pedigree of the Tetonkaha rose cannot be ascertained. The native rose from Lake Tetonkaha is nearer to Rosa blanda than to any other species. Taxonomists know how difficult and even impossible it is to determine the species of most wild roses, because there are so many intermediate forms. Wild roses cross freely with each other. The real name of the Rosa rugosa hybrid cannot be determined, as it was not known at the time. At any rate, it was a good variety.

The Tetonkaha rose usually produces an abundant crop of seed. The foliage is chiefly of the blanda type and shows no trace of the Rugosa. The flowers are deep pink, and have as high as 37 petals, and bloom very freely early in June.

"It is remarkable what freedom Dr. Hansen assumed when he named a strain Tetonkaha instead of a clone. I have now lost the plant I had under this name, but memory tells me that it was very like my Mary L. Evans rose, oftener called Mary. Its ancestry was Hansa x macounii. Do you know any one, or any station, that still has one of the Tetonkahas?"

Personal correspondance Percy Wright to Walter Schowalter January 18, 1971