Roots and Routes

Rosa ‘Intrigue’

• Introduced Jackson and Perkins in 1982
• Bred by William A. Warriner
• Class: Floribunda
• Deep, saturated plum-purple with a velvety texture
• Bright citrus mixed with a rich, sweet old-rose scent
• Parentage: White Masterpiece X Heirloom

The Intrigue rose produces velvety blooms in an unusually rich shade of plum-purple, emerging from deep purple-red buds and often shifting subtly in tone as the flowers mature. Just as distinctive as its color is its powerful fragrance, combining citrus with classic rose perfume. Bred in the United States by William A. “Bill” Warriner, Intrigue was given an All-American Rose Selections award in 1984.

The name Intrigue seems especially appropriate for a rose whose color refuses to fit neatly into a single category. Depending on the light and stage of bloom, its flowers can appear crimson-purple, magenta, wine-colored, or deep velvety plum. The rose’s mysterious coloring and unexpectedly strong perfume give it precisely the sense of fascination and mystery that the word intrigue suggests.