PlantFiles: Large-flowered Climber
Rosa 'Don Juan'

I have had great success with growing a climbing rose named Don Juan, in Hamilton, Ontario. However, the only rose of this name that I have ever seen or read about is a beautiful red colour. This rose had a lovely scent and grew prolifically its first year. I had it growing against a wire fence in a southeast-facing garden. For the following two years, it again grew well, doubling its reach. Vesey's catalogue describes it: "Stronly fragrant, this velvety dark red, double cupped rose (35 petals), is high centred to flat with 4 inch blooms. Growing up to a height of 12 feet, the repeat bloomer features dark, glossy, leathery foliage."

Our Don Juan climbing rose is red, very fragrant and quite beautiful. This is its second year growing in full sun on a wire fence in Summerville, SC (USDA Hardiness Zone 8).

I got this rose from a local nursery last year. It has grown extremely vigorously, putting out big long canes, and lots of blooms.

Its parentage is: New Dawn seedling X New Yorker

Don Juan was the very first rose (the patriarch) planted in my garden...3 years now he's been living happily couched in the corner of the backyard in full sun. We're in zone 8 in central TX. Mine is a climber and the only pruning I've done is to remove dead limbs. I do not prune my climbers and my research shows that you shouldn't except to keep them in bounds and remove dead tissue. Don Juan has exploded in huge, 5-inch, deep red flowers--the most fragrant in my garden. I have 86 roses now...adopted in the past 3 years since the bug bit me! If they don't have fragrance, I don't want them. Don Juan more than earns his place in my garden...I have a total of 5 now...all climbers. I would not have a garden without him. Everyone needs at least one.

Vigorous grower, displays the most brilliant deep velvety red fragrant flowers. I can always count on a bloom for a bouquet. Introduced in 1958, disease resistant.

It seems to grow fairly slowly, but the flowers are gorgeous.

I like this Rose it is a good climber and easy to take care of.
Robbie
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My favorite rose, never seems to stop growing. Don't have any problems with thorns on the stems, make beautiful cut flowers usually with sem-long stems. The smell is great, although not strong.

Only issue, the grasshoppers and aphids seem to love the flowers more than I do. Have to use insecticide to keep them away, and as much as it grows, it seems to be a constant job keeping the insects off the buds.

This is known as the must-have rose for my area. When I decided to start growing roses, this is the one that EVERYBODY recommended first. Its climbing manner and large flowers put on quite a show--it looks like it's trying to show off and be fancier than my other roses. It requires little attention other than dead-heading. Though it can get spells of blackspot (nearly all roses do, in our humid climate), that doesn't seem to slow it down.

Don Juan handles some shade a bit better than others. I gave one to my SIL and it took off like a rocket, a red rocket.

I find this rose more prone to blackspot than almost any other that I grow....but when in bloom....and when he hangs on to his leaves....he is a pretty sight!

I love this climber. The blooms are a brilliant red and it has given me no problems with black spot or anything else. My Don Juan is on Fortuniana rootstock which I understand is a very good rootstock for successful Roses in Florida.

I grow this in a rather shady spot, and it doesn't repeat much for me. It's worth it. Beautiful deep red with a good scent.

Don Juan is a beautiful dark red large-blossomed rose. We planted two of these climbers in the spring of 2007 and they doubled their size in just 6 months. Although other comments indicate that Don Juan is very fragrant, mine was only slightly fragrant. Perhaps the fragrance will be heavier the second year of growth. Also, my Don Juan has very large, sharp thorns on it. However, I love this rose in spite of the thorns!

This was planted last spring and performed wonderfully. However the voles decided to have it for dessert. The roots were TOTALLY eaten. I thought it was dead so I pushed it back in the ground, added some rootgrow and left it along ALL winter. To my surprise, it grew back and has tripled in size. It's now totally covered in buds and full of that beautiful dark purple new growth.