‘Canadian White Star’® (C.W.S.®)
H T, [Blanche Mallerin x Pascali]

‘C.W.S.’ was introduced in Canada in 1985/86 and in the U.S.A. in 1986/87. After eleven years of hybridizing this was my first rose to be registered with I.R.A.R. This rose was born way back in 1974 already. It was amongst approximately 2 dozen white seedlings grown in the same box. I kept it, because of its “Star” shape, also it was the “Whitest” of all, plus it was completely free of mildew as all others right next to it were loaded with it. At the time, I did not know that there is such a thing as disease resistance. When budded and grown outside, it could go for 3 month without spraying.

Now, 25 years later (fall of 2000) I was searching the INTERNET (on “Google” the best) for “Canadian White Star”. The most surprising results GOOGLE came up with, were : “Canadian White Star's disease resistance”. It was named amongst 42 HT’s of the worlds most powdery mildew-resistant cultivars. At another site, for blackspot resistance, the American Rose Society recommended 29 HT’s and ‘Canadian White Star’ happened to be one of them.

As I had no experience in exhibiting roses it took until 1979 when many friends and exhibitors pointed out its exhibition potential to me after growing and testing the rose for about 2 years. Then I decided to register it and possibly name it “WHITE STAR”. My wife suggested to add the word “CANADIAN”, and in late 1980 the name ‘CANADIAN WHITE STAR’ was excepted by I.R.A.R. In our 1980 local show it won the seedling class and I budded several more plants that summer. Now I could hardly wait for my first rose show at the Vancouver R.S. in 1981. It won two trophies , BEST WHITE and PRINCESS, plus a couple of seconds and a third. Now I got all excited and budded lots more plants to be able to exhibit it in as many shows as possible.

By 1984/85 I had over 40 plants in my own yard and gave several to local rose friends and some to top exhibitors in the Seattle/Tacoma area. I should also mention here that as early as 1971/72 some local exhibitors said to me: ”Why don’t you exhibit any roses at our rose show”? My answer was: “Anybody can buy a top exhibition rose, grow it to perfection, and possibly win with it, but I want to create my own, perhaps a good exhibition rose and then win a trophy”. Even though it took me 12 years to accomplish my goal, it was the greatest thrill of my life to achieve it with my first rose : ‘CANADIAN WHITE STAR’. It was also the first rose which I ever exhibited at any rose show.

In the following years I exhibited C.W.S. in shows at Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Tacoma, Valley, Tri-Valley and Vancouver,Wash. Rose Societies. In 1984 I flew a cooler box of appr. 30 C.W.S. blooms to England, and again in 1985 to the W.F.of R.S. show in Toronto. At every show it won various first places and trophies including some Queens. After it was introduced in the U.S., other rosarians in the N.E. and many on the west coast from Seattle down to San Francisco won various trophies and Queens with C.W.S.

I went all out and applied for my own U.S. Plant Patent and had thousands grown in California (see photo) for my own sales, but I made the mistake of not having it tested in the hot, southern US. It turned out not to do well there at all. It was inexperience and I had learned my first lesson. Now, since I started breeding minis in 1989, I have always sent any promising new seedlings for testing to friends down south in states like CA, TX, AZ and OK.

Now, almost 20 years later, ‘Canadian White Star’ is still winning once in a while. At the 2000 Tacoma R.S. show I won Queen with it. (see prize winning photo and rose)

‘C.W.S.’ is available from “Hortico Inc.”, and at “Select Roses” here in western Canada.

George Mander
October 2001