Floral carpet rose cultivars are low spreading selections of the taller floribunda rose group. These carpet roses commonly grow with semi-evergreen foliage to 2 ft. tall and 4-5 ft. wide. They have arching stems are covered with sharp thorns; their dark glossy green foliage have 5-7 leaflets. Terminal sprays containing numerous flowers occur in spring and almost continuously through summer and into fall. Flower colors include white, pink, coral, red and yellow.
Floribunda ground cover roses are commonly referred to as carpet roses due to their low and spreading growth habit. They have become increasingly popular in Southern California as trouble-free plants and are used on banks, in raised planters, in containers and along borders. Most types have proven to be pest and disease resistant and are highly tolerant of sun, heat and aridity with moderate supplemental water.
Pruning and feeding ground cover roses in the late winter to early spring helps to stimulate new growth and enhance flowering. A second feeding in mid summer will continue to sustain good flowering. They grow best in full sun and on well-drained soils, and are adapted to coastal, inland, valley and desert zones. Many of these roses are registered or patented and vary in flower color and availability among nurseries; some include: Flower Carpet™ ‘Pink’ has double deep pink flowers; Flower Carpet™ ‘Red’ produces single red flowers; Flower Carpet™ ‘White’ has semi-double bright white flowers; and Flower Carpet™ ‘Yellow’ produces double yellow flowers.
