PlantFiles: Grandiflora Rose
Rosa 'Gold Medal'

Gold Medal was the first hybrid tea rose I had that was grown on its own root rather than grafted. Personally, I prefer the grafted roses in my climate (NE Wisconsin, Zone 5) because they grow more vigorously. Every winter my Gold Medal would typically die back to the bottom inch or so of the stem, even when boxed up and buried in ground for the winter. So like most roses in the yellow spectrum, it is tender and would probably grow better in warmer climates.

The growth habit is tall and spindly, and only a few blooms appear at a time. The rose is gorgeous when it opens but quickly fades towards an unattractive cream color and so you get only a couple of days before it loses its beauty. The color is more intense and lasts longer when it is cool, so it is a better rose in the fall than in the summer.

Because of the difficulty of getting this rose through the winter, I finally gave up and culled it after about five years. For this reason I gave it a neutral rating.

This rose is beautiful as long as its not too hot. When the temps are 90+, all the color is washed out and the rose is a cream color. I still gave it a "positive" because i don't know of any rose that blooms beautifully in 100 degree weather in full sun. If you do, please let me know because I would love to find a rose that blooms beautifully in this ridiculous Texas summer heat :-).
Grows quickly compared to some of my other roses. It has a light fuity scent that reminds me of the 'Tropicana' rose, just no where near as strong.
If you don't mind having yellow/peach blooms in spring and fall and cream blooms in summer this one is good for the south. No problems with mildew or blackspot even when my other rose next to it is attacked.

last year was my first attempt at gardening and I *think* I am in zone 5b (or 5a) and I decided to give this one a try becuase it was pretty. Dumb luck and following internet instructions for care paid off becuase it is growing again and I'm looking forward to more blooms this year (assuming my luck continues).

As mentioned with other roses that I've tried in Miami, this one is potted. In my hands and in this hot humid weather, this rose has a mediocre resistance to black spot, so one has to be vigilant. However, beautiful yellow fragrant flowers, in clusters or individual, bloom here year-around. Possibly due to the heat, older flowers loose some of the color, while still keeping the good shape, giving this rose a tonal yellow to ivory appearance.

Gold Medal is a mediocre bloomer here in the cooler climate of the NC mountains. I also prefer more fragrance. Nice shape, resistant to black spot. I think I prefer Love and Peace and Chicago Peace more.

I live in Winnsboro, SC with a lot of heat and humidity. This rose does beautifully. We have over 200 rose bushes and I bring cut roses to work each week. Last week, one of the ladies in my office said this was the prettiest rose she had ever seen.

Nancy

I'm just starting to grow roses in Northcentral Florida, zone 8b, where they are subjected to much moisture, which often leads to disease, so I have only planted lengadarily tough "antique roses" so far. But I always research roses pictured here in the PDB that attract me, and this one is really beautiful!

I looked up Grandifloras and found they are a very modern rose, developed in the 1950's, by crossing hybrid teas and floribundas. The hybrid teas contributed the long stems and flower form, and the floribundas contributed the increased hardiness, and abundant, continuous blooms. The Grandifloras grow from three to six feet tall or more, and 'Gold Medal' is described in several of my books as "tall."

'Gold Medal' was introduced in 1982--it is very modern indeed--and is known for great vigor and good health--no blackspot? It has "small clusters of long, ovoid, golden yellow buds, sometimes tinged with pink or orange, unfurling to large, full fragrant blossoms. Plant is very tall and upright." (from Sunset Roses) Another book says it is a tall plant, with glossy, deep green foliage, and is a vigorous grower and remarkably winter hardy. The flowers are almost 4 inches across, with little fragrance (which contradicts the other book) but abundant blooms.

I'd love to grow this beautiful rose, but am afraid it won't do well in my hot and humid Coastal South climate. Has anyone successfully grown this rose in the South? The old adage "you have to grow it to know it" certainly applies here. Books can give a person a general idea of a plant's qualities, but nothing beats "growing it" to really learn about it.

A good bloomer, late April first flush, still blooming in August, fades quickly in high temps of 95+.