Ispahan

Of uncertain origin but long associated with the ancient Persian city of Isfahan (in present-day Iran), 'Ispahan' is a Damask rose distinguished by an unusually prolonged flowering season for a once-blooming old rose. Clear, bright pink, medium to large rosette blooms open in rapid succession over an extended period in early summer, accompanied by the intense, opulent Oriental fragrance characteristic of the Damask class — the same fragrance distilled for rose oil and rosewater since antiquity. The plant is vigorous and upright, reaching 1.2–1.8m, with excellent cold hardiness and disease resistance. Its centuries of cultivation have endowed it with a robustness in challenging conditions that modern varieties rarely match. After flowering, light deadheading and winter thinning of old wood are all that is required.

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