The Scented Jewel is a striking, compact floribunda or shrub rose known for its deep purple (or mauve) petals splashed with cream-white streaks, offering a strong, sweet, and fruity fragrance. Developed in the Netherlands (often credited to De Ruiter), it is prized for continuous blooming, compact size (roughly 2-3 feet tall), and suitability for pots and small gardens.
Key Characteristics and Care:
- Appearance: Distinctive marbled or striped look, with dark purplish-red hues and irregular cream-white markings.
- Fragrance: Renowned for an intense, captivating scent, often described as a “luxurious perfume”.
- Blooms: Produces flowers in small clusters of 2–5, with a bloom size of roughly
213′′−313′′2 one-third double prime minus 3 one-third double prime
213′′−313′′
.
- Habit: Compact and shrubby, usually growing to about 2 feet (60-80 cm) tall.
- Performance: Excellent for both garden borders and as a container plant. It is a repeat bloomer throughout the season.
- Care: Thrives in full sun with consistent watering. It is relatively easy to care for but, due to its delicate branches and large, heavy flowers, may occasionally require support.
- Alternatives: Sometimes confused with or compared to other striped, fragrant varieties like ‘Scentimental’.
This variety is highly sought after by collectors for its dramatic color contrast and high perfume factor.
