China Rose 'Cramoisi Superieur': The Eternal Scarlet

Few roses have traveled as far and endured as long as 'Cramoisi Superieur' (also known as Agrippina, Lady Brisbane, Bermuda Rose, Queen of Scarlet). Introduced by Coquereau in 1832, this China rose became a global passport plant—carried by sailors, settlers, and traders to every corner of the warm world, where it naturalized and thrived.

Botanical Profile

The flowers are semi-double, a vivid crimson-scarlet that doesn't fade, opening from pointed buds in loose clusters. The plant forms a twiggy, dense shrub 4-5 feet tall, with small, pointed leaves and a twining habit. Its China rose genetics give it the remarkable ability to bloom continuously in frost-free climates—a trait that revolutionized Western rose breeding when Chinas arrived in Europe. In Bermuda, the American South, and across the Mediterranean, 'Cramoisi Superieur' became a dooryard staple, blooming through Christmas and into the new year. A living heirloom that connects modern gardens to the dawn of repeat-flowering roses.