About Our Rose Program


Breeding and Product Development

Our philosophy for introducing new rose genetics is based on two principles:

  1. Maintain close relationships with hybridizers who entrust us to evaluate their seedlings.
  2. Operate a superior testing facility to ensure that only the best plants are introduced.

These guidelines have allowed us to introduce many award-winning plants, including the revolutionary Knock Out® Family of Roses. You can learn more about our current breeder partnerships below:

We collaborate with these key partners to develop genetics that combine trusted performance with the current needs and trends of the market. Internally, we have an experienced breeding and development team backed by cutting edge technology and years of hands-on experience. This group leverages a collaboration with the central research division, Ball Helix, with the goal of producing revolutionary, novel genetics that possess industry-worthy and consumer-friendly plants.

If you are interested in collaborating with us to breed, trial, or introduce a new genetic, please send us a message.

Contact Our Rose Team

Trialing Process

Star® Roses and Plants is the only rose company to test on both coasts during the early stages of development. Test roses are assigned individual code numbers and start off growing on their own roots in “Rose Hell,” the no-spray trial and comparison fields at our West Grove, PA headquarters. The roses receive minimal care and are evaluated for consistency over several years.  In more recent years, quarantine blocks from breeders outside of the U.S. are maintained both in Pennsylvania and California.

Selections from the initial tests are propagated in larger numbers to begin the buildup process and are planted into the research block at Neuhouse Farms in Wasco, CA to determine their quality as a bare root product.  Roses that pass this test are sent to additional no-spray trials in Arroyo Grande, CA to determine resistance to common coastal diseases such as rust and mildews.

Out of the hundreds of new rose seedlings we receive each year, only around 10 to 15 will make it to the final two-year, no-spray trial at test gardens around the country to evaluate performance across all major regions. The top roses are carefully selected as new introductions to the market.  The entire process from beginning to end takes on average 8 years.

Rose Hell: Our rose test fields in West Grove, Pennsylvania
Rose Heaven: Our rose test fields in Wasco, California
Our no-spray rose test fields in Arroyo Grande, California