Gallica Roses are a hardy and generally
disease resistant. Unlike most Old Garden Roses, Gallicas are generally fairly short statured being about 5 to 4 feet tall. Their growth habit is somewhat similar to that of raspberries. The individual canes are more or less biennial- that is they grow up one year and flower the following spring. Because of this they should not be pruned in the fall or winter. The best practice is to cut the canes that have flowered just after flowering by about 2/3. Gallicas are one of the oldest groups of roses. Some of their famous members include the Red Rose of Lancaster and Rosa mundi. This group should be included in any historical rose collection.
