Commercially available

Registration name: Ajatashatru Kasturi™

Bred by M.S. Viraraghavan (India).

Hybrid Gigantea, Hybrid Tea, Shrub.  

Pink, deep pink reverse.  Mild fragrance.  45 to 50 petals.  Average diameter 5".  Large, very full (41+ petals), borne mostly solitary, classic hybrid tea, formal, high-centered, quilled bloom form.  Continuous (perpetual) bloom throughout the season.  Large buds.  

Tall, bushy, upright.  Large, semi-glossy, medium green foliage.  

Height: up to 6' (up to 185cm).  

Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant.  

It gives us much pleasure, tinged with a large amount of sadness, to name this rose for our very dear friend of 6 decades, who passed away sometime back, Mr G. Kasturirangan, of the famed KSG Roses, Bangalore, India. Large, Like him, this is a very well shaped rose, and tall and straight growing, just as was his posture . Kasturi, as we called him, was a staunch supporter of our roses, constantly encouraging, advising, admiring -- always being there for us. We call this rose ‘Ajatashatru’, which in Sanskrit means ‘one without enemies’ and truly it could be said of Kasturi, that he had no enemies, he never had anything but a kind word to say of everyone he met and knew, he was never critical, there was not a mean bone in his body. With his tall stature he was like an umbrella for the rose scene in India, being one of the very earliest rose nurseries importing roses from all across the world so that rose fanciers would have an opportunity to grow well known roses from well known and not so well known foreign nurseries and breeders. His annual rose catalogue was something to drool over. He was apart from being a rose-man and plants person, a great cricketer, who played for Karnataka State in Ranji matches, and was even selected to play for India against the West Indies, long ago, but, being the person he was, since his friend, an equally good cricketer, was not chosen, he decided to decline the honour. And, of course, he was not chosen again. Such was the nature of his friendship, and shows the manner of the man. For many years he was Chairman of the Indian Cricket Pitch Committee. We are proud to have been called his friends, and we miss greatly our many discussions on roses and other subjects. This very large pink rose of hybrid Tea form is our tribute to a large-hearted friend.

Prickles: few in number, light brown, triangular. Rounded foliage. Light but distinct scent.