Guide to Roses: Hybrid Tea, Floribunda, and Grandiflora Varieties

Few plants capture the imagination and romance of the garden like the rose. Everyone can have a spectacular rose garden, and it all starts with choosing the right rose variety for your space.  There are over three hundred rose species, but how do you know which one to choose.

Some of the most beautiful types of roses that can be grown in South Carolina are hybrid tea roses, floribunda roses, and grandiflora roses.  Here’s a guide to these three rose types so you can choose the best one for your upstate South Carolina garden.

Hybrid Tea Roses

Hybrid tea roses are the classic, high-fashion roses you often see in bouquets and floral arrangements. They are known for their long, upright stems, and each stem is crowned with a single, large, and perfectly-formed flower.  Hybrid tea roses are available in almost every color apart from black and blue.

Hybrid tea roses often have a sweet fragrance and an elegant unfurling of petals as they bloom. They bloom repeatedly throughout the spring, summer, and fall, making them an excellent choice for cut flowers. They generally grow to be three to eight feet tall and two to three feet wide.

Fun fact: The rose in the movie, Beauty and the Beast is likely a hybrid tea rose.

Floribunda Roses

Floribunda roses are perfect for South Carolina gardeners who want a continuous, colorful display of roses. The floribunda rose is bushy, but they rarely have a strong fragrance.  It produces large clusters of small flowers on each stem, which provides a mass of color that makes for a beautiful and showy flower display for your home.

Floribunda roses have a reputation for being hardy and having long bloom seasons. They tend to be more compact and disease-resistant than hybrid tea roses, which makes them a lower-maintenance plant for South Carolina gardens.  Use floribunda roses as a garden border or a hedge.

Floribunda rose bushes grow to be about four to five feet tall and two to four feet wide.

Grandiflora Roses

The grandiflora rose is a great middle option between hybrid tea roses and floribunda roses.  In fact, the grandiflora rose is a cross between hybrid tea and floribunda roses.

Grandifloras produce long-stemmed flowers in clusters with about three to five blooms at the top of each stem. So, grandiflora roses have the elegant form of the hybrid tea rose while maintaining the prolific flowering of the floribunda variety.  Grandifloras also make for beautiful cut flowers.

Grandifloras are known for their vigorous growth and can reach impressive heights, which makes them ideal for creating a show-stopping focal point in your landscape.  Grandiflora roses grow to about four to six feet tall and three to four feet wide.  Plus, many grandiflora roses have better resistance to powdery mildew and black spot disease.

Caring for Your Roses

No matter which type of rose you choose for your South Carolina garden, proper planting is key to the plant’s success.  So, amend your soil with a generous amount of composted organic matter, such as Daddy Pete's Planting Mix.  Also, when planting, ensure that the top of the root ball sits slightly above the ground's natural grade to ensure proper drainage.

For more detailed instructions on planting, watering, and general care, check out our “General Planting Guide for South Carolina Gardens” and our guide on “How to Grow Roses in South Carolina.”

Find Your Perfect Rose at Head-Lee Nursery

Ready to add the timeless beauty of roses to your garden?  Then, visit Head-Lee Nursery for the healthiest and most beautiful roses in upstate South Carolina! 

We have hybrid tea, floribunda, and grandiflora roses available each April.  They are some of our best sellers, so they sell out quickly!  Mark your calendars for April so that you get the best roses in South Carolina for your spring garden.

We have over 40 years of horticultural experience, and our knowledgeable and friendly staff is here to help you select the perfect hybrid tea, floribunda, or grandiflora rose variety. We have a wide selection of the highest-quality plants, and we're always happy to answer your questions. Stop by our nursery in Seneca, South Carolina, and let us help you grow the garden of your dreams.