‘Belinda’s Dream’ becomes the first rose to be named a Texas Superstar

A near perfect landscape rose, Belinda’s Dream, is the first rose to be named a Texas Superstar and also receive the prestigious EarthKind designation from Texas A&M University.

“Belinda’s Dream is a gorgeous shrub rose with large, take-your-breath-away, pink blossoms,” said Dr. Steve George, horticulturist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas. “The beautifully formed buds are tight and shaped like a tea rose, with a stunning rose pink color. The buds open to very double cupped blossoms and a wonderful fragrance.”

Belinda’s Dream is easy to grow and has successive flushes of bloom which extend from spring to frost. It forms an upright shrub 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. George said the rose is an outstanding performer in almost any soil type, even highly alkaline clays, and possesses excellent wind, heat and drought tolerance for a rose.

“To the delight of rose lovers everywhere, its attractive, bluish-green foliage is so disease tolerant that fungicide sprays are seldom required,” added George.

It grows in climate zones 5-9 and is winter hardy throughout Texas; it should be planted in day-long full sun with good air movement over the leaves. The rose appreciates well drained soils, and a drip or soaker hose irrigation system should be used, especially in areas with salty water.

“If the spring is wet, the shrub can partially defoliate due to black spot, but don’t worry because it will come roaring back with few, if any, fungicide applications,” said George.

About Belinda’s Dream

Introduced in 1992, this truly Texas rose is a cross between ‘Tiffany’ and ‘Jersey Beauty’. It was developed by Dr. Robert Basye, a Texas A&M University mathematics professor and amateur rose breeder of 50 years.

“Belinda’s Dream is his crowning achievement,” said George. “It was named for the daughter of one of Dr Basye’s friends in Caldwell, Texas.”

The Texas Superstar effort is one of Texas A&M University’s most innovative and successful horticultural research and Extension programs.

“This cooperative program combines the expertise of university and industry leaders in the identification of superior landscape plants for Texas and their subsequent introduction in the marketplace,” said George.

The easy-grow plants recommended by these experts are hardy, heat-tolerant and disease and insect-tolerant, providing beauty with minimal care and minimal reliance on chemical pest control. Only the best-adapted, highest-performing and most pest-resistant plant materials are designated Texas Superstars, and should include the Texas Superstar pot label.

To identify such plants, the Agriculture Program at Texas A&M has created the largest system of horticultural field trials of any university in the country. After years of extensive field research, during which the plants are never sprayed with any pesticide, only a few plants are good enough to be designated Texas Superstars™.

Belinda’s Dream is also being designated as EarthKind. George explained that Extension’s EarthKind designation is given only to thoroughly tested plant materials which help create beautiful, productive landscapes that require minimum maintenance while providing maximum environmental protection.

For more information on Belinda’s Dream or to find the nearest official Texas Superstar retailer, go to www.TexasSuperstar.com.