OKLAHOMA™ – dark red hybrid tea rose – Swim & Weeks
Step outside after rain and meet Oklahoma, a classic hybrid tea whose deep, velvety blooms bring a sense of balance to compact London front gardens and small family plots. Bred for long-stemmed perfection, its large, high-centred flowers open slowly, each one a moment of luxury for cutting and for the garden. The fragrance is rich, sweet and lingering – a truly intense perfume that carries on still, damp evenings. On its own roots it settles steadily, promising a long-lived, regenerating shrub with reliable flowering across the season and practical resilience where heavy clay needs thoughtful drainage and regular rain is part of everyday life. Upright, bushy growth makes it easy to place in narrow borders, while peat‑free compost, mulching and consistent watering keep care simple. Over the first three years roots establish, shoots strengthen, and full ornamental value unfolds, creating a mature, characterful presence in your garden. Choose it as a statement rose in a rainwater‑friendly urban design, where its dark colour and strong scent feel effortlessly timeless yet reassuringly sustainable.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Statement rose in a small front garden |
The upright, bushy habit and dark, velvety flowers create an immediate focal point in a modest space, giving structure without sprawling. Works especially well flanking a front door or bay window for beginners. |
| Cutting rose for scented indoor arrangements |
High‑centred, exhibition‑type blooms on long stems and a very strong, classic fragrance make this an ideal home cutting rose, so a single plant can provide regular, luxurious vases for homeowners. |
| Own-root investment for long-term planting |
As an own‑root rose it can regenerate from the base after stress or hard pruning, maintaining stable ornamental value and reducing the need for frequent replacement, suiting long‑view gardeners. |
| Rainwater-conscious city front garden |
Performs reliably in typical urban conditions when paired with free‑draining soil improvements, making it a strong choice where regular showers and heavier clay combine with limited space for city‑dwellers. |
| Feature rose in a mixed perennial border |
The rich burgundy‑red colour stands out among greens and soft pastels, giving depth and drama. Position mid‑border with lighter companions to highlight the blooms for style‑aware planters. |
| Medium-maintenance rose with clear task list |
Moderate disease resistance means success with a simple routine: good air flow, spring feed, spent‑flower removal and occasional pest checks, fitting neatly into the schedule of busy owners. |
| Container specimen in large planters |
Suited to deep, stable containers of at least 40–50 litres, where upright growth and repeat flowering can dress balconies or paved front gardens, bringing classic rose character to space‑limited residents. |
| Season-long presence in family gardens |
Remontant flowering with a generous second flush keeps colour and scent in view for much of the season; as roots, then shoots, then full display develop, it rewards patient starters. |
Styling ideas
- Velvet Entrance – Frame a narrow path with one or two Oklahoma plants underplanted with low heuchera to echo the dark tones – ideal for stylish front‑garden makers.
- Urban Classic – Use a single rose in a 50‑litre pot beside the front step, with upright feather reed grass behind to add movement – perfect for balcony and doorstep gardeners.
- Evening Perfume – Plant near a bench or terrace and pair with pale nepeta or sage so the strong scent and dark blooms stand out at dusk – suited to relaxation‑focused households.
- Burgundy Border – Combine with soft ornamental grasses and small berberis for a refined, textural strip along a front boundary – good for those refreshing paved or gravel gardens.
- Cutting Corner – Group two or three plants at recommended spacing to create a reliable source of long‑stemmed blooms for the house – for keen home florists and gift‑givers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered cultivar name ‘Oklahoma’, trade name Oklahoma™. American Rose Society approved exhibition name Oklahoma, primarily used as a cut and garden hybrid tea. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred in the United States in 1963 by Herbert C. Swim and O. L. Weeks at Oklahoma State University; introduced commercially in 1964 by Weeks Wholesale Rose Grower. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recipient of a Gold Medal at the Tokyo Japan Rose Concours in 1963, reflecting its exhibition‑grade flower quality and strong appeal among international rose judges and collectors. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy shrub reaching approximately 130–170 cm in height and 100–140 cm spread, with dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage and a moderately thorny framework. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, solitary hybrid tea blooms with over 40 petals; large, high‑centred, pointed buds of classic cut‑rose form, remontant with a notable second flush in suitable conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep, velvety dark red (RHS 187A–187B) with blackish undertones; opens intense burgundy, later softening towards brownish red while remaining overall dark in garden effect. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, sweet, classic rose perfume with garden‑filling intensity; best appreciated near seating or paths where still air allows the scent to linger around the planting area. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces occasional ellipsoid red hips, around 12–18 mm in diameter, adding a modest seasonal accent; not a heavy fruiting cultivar and generally grown primarily for its flowers. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b) with moderate resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust under average garden conditions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Space 100–175 cm depending on use; prefers fertile, well‑drained soil with regular feeding and deadheading. Maintenance medium, with occasional pest and disease control as needed. |
OKLAHOMA brings deeply scented, exhibition-quality dark red blooms on an upright, long-lived own-root shrub that rewards patient urban gardeners with lasting structure and perfume; consider it where you want a single rose to carry real presence.
