Rose plant--Meiranovi variety

A new and distinct variety of shrub rose plant is provided which forms attractive semi-double pink blossoms. The new variety exhibits an arching and flowing growth habit and is well adapted for growing in the landscape. Excellent disease resistance and hardiness also are exhibited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The new variety of shrub rose plant of the present invention was created by 
artificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously 
had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired 
characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the new 
variety was formed by crossing Rosa sempervirens with the Marthe Carron 
variety. The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) of the new variety was 
formed by a series of crosses. The Lili Marlene variety was crossed with 
the Evelyne Fison variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,424). The product of this 
cross was then crossed with the product of a cross between the Orange 
Sweetheart variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,155) and the Fruhlingsmorgen 
variety to form the male parent. The parentage of the new variety can be 
summarized as follows: 
EQU [Rosa sempervirens.times.MARTHE CARRON].times.[(LILI MARLENE.times.EVELYNE 
FISON).times.(ORANGE SWEETHEART.times.FRuHLINGSMORGEN)]. 
The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and 191 plantlets 
were obtained which were physically and biologically different from each 
other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of 
the new variety. 
It was found that the new variety of shrub rose plant of the present 
invention possesses the following combination of characteristics: 
(a) forms attractive semi-double pink blossoms, 
(b) exhibits a flowing growth habit which forms a plant having a greater 
width than height, 
(c) exhibits excellent disease resistance, 
(d) exhibits excellent hardiness, 
(e) exhibits a propensity to readily undergo asexual propagation from 
cuttings, and 
(f) is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape. 
The new variety meets the needs of the horticultural industry for all uses. 
It can be grown to advantage as an attractive ornamentation in parks, 
gardens, public areas, and residential landscapes. 
The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation by a number 
of routes, including the use of cuttings, budding and grafting. The 
characteristics of the new variety have been found to be extremely uniform 
and homogeneous and are strictly transmissible by such asexual propagation 
from one generation to another. 
The new variety has been named the Meiranovi variety.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of the Royal 
Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The terminology preceding the 
numbered references has been added to designate in common terms the 
corresponding colors. The description is based on two-year old specimens 
of the new variety while budded on Rosa froebelii understock and grown 
outdoors at Cannet des Maures, Var, France. 
Class: Shrub. 
Plant: 
Height.--Approximately 60 cm. on average. 
Habit.--Arching and flowing, has a greater width than height. 
Branches: 
Color.--Young stems: Yellow-Green Group 146B. Adult wood: Yellow-Green 
Group 146A. 
Leaves: 
Petioles.--Upper surface: grooved, slightly reddish on young foliage, 
medium green on adult foliage. Under surface: light green with several 
small thorns. 
Leaflets.--Number: 3, 5, and 7 (most often). Shape: elliptic. Serration: 
simple and regular. Color (young foliage): upper surface: dark bronze 
green, Yellow-Green Group 135A; under surface: light yellow green, 
Yellow-Green Group 146C. Color (adult foliage): upper surface: 
Yellow-Green Group 131A; under surface: Yellow-Green Group 147B. 
Inflorescence: 
Number of flowers.--Approximately 1 to 23 per stem. 
Peduncle.--Its length is approximately 2 to 3 cm. on average. 
Buds.--Shape: conical before the opening of the sepals. Length: 
approximately 1.5 cm. on average. Color: upper surface: Red Group 50B; 
under surface: Red Group 52A. 
Flower.--Form: semi-double. Diameter: approximately 5.5 cm. on average. 
Color (when opening begins): upper surface: Red Group 47D; under surface: 
Red Group 54A. Color (when partially open): upper surface: Red Group 50C; 
under surface: Red Group 54B. Color (at end of opening): upper surface: 
Red Group 50C; under surface: Red Group 55C. Fragrance: none. Petal 
number: approximately 15 on average, commonly several of these are not 
complete. Stamen number: approximately 77 on average. Pistils: 
approximately 28 on average. 
Development: 
Hardiness.--Excellent. 
Disease resistance.--Excellent.