Rosa chinensis hybrids are one of the most important in the history of the modern rose albeit that many in the group are from spontaneous cross pollination.
When the East India company brought samples back from China via Calcutta in the late 1700s they added double flower forms, reliable repeat flowering, new fragrances and high centred, unfurling shapes to the gene pool, revolutionising rose breeding across Europe in the process.
China roses are a complex group of natural crosses and man made hybrids with Rosa chinensis mutabilis being one of the most popular.
Examples include ‘Triomphe de Laffay’ and 'Comtesse du Cayla' raised by Pierre Guillot in 1902.