© Kurt Stüber [1], some rights reserved (CC-BY-SA) · Wikimedia Commons
Overview
Rosa 'Ballerina' is a deciduous shrub rose reaching 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m) tall with a spread of 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m) and a compact, rounded, arching habit forming a dense mound. A Hybrid Musk rose (bred by Bentall, 1937), it produces enormous sprays of very small, single flowers 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) wide in soft pink with a white eye—resembling hydrangea or phlox clusters rather than typical rose blooms. Each spray can contain 50-100+ individual flowers. The flowers appear repeatedly from June through frost. The small, glossy, medium green leaves are above average for disease resistance. Growth rate is moderate. Hardy to zone 5. The Hybrid Musk class was developed by Reverend Joseph Pemberton and continued by his gardeners the Bentalls. 'Ballerina' is the smallest-flowered but most profusely blooming rose in the collection—the mass effect of hundreds of tiny pink-and-white flowers is the distinguishing feature.
Native Range
Rosa 'Ballerina' is a hybrid of garden origin, bred by Bentall, England, 1937. Hybrid Musk class.Suggested Uses
Planted in borders, mass plantings, low hedges, or containers at 3-4 foot (0.9-1.2 m) spacing. Hydrangea-like sprays of tiny pink flowers. Most profuse blooming rose. Compact mound. Tolerates partial shade. Autumn hips. Hybrid Musk 1937. Individual flowers are very small (1-1.5 inches)—the effect is in the mass display, not individual blooms.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height3' - 5'
Width/Spread3' - 5'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Enormous sprays of 50-100+ very small single soft pink flowers 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) with white eye, June through frost. Repeat-blooming. Light musky fragrance. The mass effect resembles hydrangea or phlox clusters. Orange-red hips in autumn if not deadheaded.Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Soft pink with white eye; single 1-1.5 inches; enormous sprays of 50-100+; hydrangea-like effect; Jun-frostFoliage Description
Glossy medium green; small; above-average disease resistance; deciduousGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Plant in full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil (pH 6.0-7.0). Hardy to zone 5. Compact mounding habit. Above-average disease resistance. Repeat-blooming. Tolerates more shade than most roses—Hybrid Musk trait. Can be left to produce orange-red hips in autumn.Pruning
Prune in late winter to early spring—reduce by one-third. The compact mounding habit needs minimal shaping. Deadhead for continuous bloom or leave late-season flowers for hip production.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
early spring
Maintenance Level
lowContainer Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons