Rosa 'Albéric Barbier'

Rosa 'Albéric Barbier' is a popular old rambling rose cultivar that was bred in 1900 by Barbier Frères et Compagnie. Its parents were R. wichuraiana and the yellow hybrid tea 'Shirley Hibberd' (Levet père, 1874), named after the Victorian gardening writer (1825–1890).

'Albéric Barbier' has apricot-yellow buds that open to medium-sized, cream coloured flowers with a light yellow center, and quickly fade to white with a hint of lemony yellow. They have an average diameter of 8 cm (3"), 9 to 16 petals, and a strong fruity fragrance. The flowers appear mostly solitary or in small clusters in an opulent single flush in June. The bloom form is globular and quartered, the filling can vary from semi-double to more densely filled, resembling tea roses.

It is a vigorous shrub, growing 4 to 8 metres (13 to 26 ft) high and 3 to 4 m (9.8 to 13.1 ft) wide, with long arching stems. The small leaves are dark green and very glossy, as is typical for wichuraiana hybrids, and create a nice contrast to the light flowers. The young shoots have a red colour and almost no prickles. If not trained when still flexible, they crawl on the ground into all directions. 'Albèric Barbier' is a robust plant, useful for covering fences or unsightly walls, even those faced northwards, as it is shade tolerant. It can also grow in full sun, but doesn't prosper in hot spots or harsher climates. In regions with mild climates, this cultivar exhibits semi-evergreen characteristics, with its leaves persisting on the plant for an extended period. It possesses winter hardiness to temperatures as low as -15 °C (corresponding to USDA zone 7b). While it is largely resistant to diseases, it may be prone to mildew infections.

This rose has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1993.