Hybrid Tea
Mister Lincoln
Dark red · repeat-blooming · Zones 5-9
Hybrid Tea Rose
Sterling Silver
Early lavender rose.
Sterling Silver is a hybrid tea rose in lavender that earns its place through season-long bloom and rich scent. Below you'll find a full profile of Sterling Silver — its characteristics, how to grow it, where to use it in the garden, and answers to the questions gardeners ask most.
About Sterling Silver
Grouped among the hybrid tea roses, Sterling Silver shows the hallmarks of the class: large, high-centered double blooms, usually one to a long stem. The hybrid tea is grown above all for the individual flower — long-stemmed, shapely, and ideal for cutting — rather than for mass color in the landscape.
In flower, Sterling Silver is lavender and fills the plant with bloom in wave after wave, carrying a strong, carrying fragrance. It is hardy across USDA zones 6-9, so it suits a wide range of gardens with the right seasonal care.
Characteristics and form
Sterling Silver makes upright, fairly narrow bush, typically around 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. The blooms are large, high-centered double blooms, usually one to a long stem, large (4 to 5 inches) in size, set against semi-glossy green foliage. Knowing a rose's habit and mature size is the key to placing it well: give Sterling Silver room to reach its full spread without crowding its neighbors, which also keeps air moving through the plant and disease at bay.
How to grow Sterling Silver
Plant Sterling Silver where it will get at least six hours of direct sun a day in fertile, well-drained soil with good air movement around it. In cold climates, set the graft union — the swollen knob where the variety joins the rootstock — at or just below the soil line; in mild climates, keep it at soil level. Once planted, water deeply and less often to encourage deep, drought-resistant roots.
- Light: Full sun, six hours or more; morning sun is best because it dries dew early and limits disease.
- Soil: Rich and well-drained, slightly acidic at about pH 6.0–6.5. Improve heavy or sandy soil with plenty of compost before planting.
- Water: Deep, infrequent soakings at the base rather than frequent light sprinkling; more in heat, sandy soil, or containers.
- Feeding: A balanced rose fertilizer in early spring, repeated after the first flush to fuel the next.
- Pruning: Prune it in late winter to an open, outward-facing framework, then deadhead through the season.
Bloom habit: Repeat (recurrent). Sterling Silver blooms in repeated flushes from late spring until the first frost. Deadhead spent flowers to bring on the next wave.
Where to use Sterling Silver in the garden
Sterling Silver suits cutting gardens, formal rose beds, and specimen planting. Underplant it with low perennials such as catmint or lady's mantle to disguise the bare lower stems. For more ideas, see our guide to companion plants for roses.
Common problems and care
Hybrid teas can be prone to black spot in humid regions, so air flow and autumn clean-up matter. Watch for the usual rose troubles — black spot, powdery mildew, and aphids — and head them off with good air flow, base watering, and a tidy autumn clean-up. See our full guide to rose diseases and pests for identification and treatment.
Sterling Silver — frequently asked questions
How big does Sterling Silver get?
Sterling Silver typically grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, forming a upright, fairly narrow bush. Its final size depends on your climate and how you prune it.
Is Sterling Silver fragrant?
Yes — Sterling Silver has a strong, carrying fragrance, and scent is one of the reasons to grow it.
Does Sterling Silver bloom more than once a season?
Yes. Sterling Silver is a repeat-blooming rose that blooms in repeated flushes from late spring until the first frost, especially if it is deadheaded and fed through the summer.
What hardiness zones does Sterling Silver grow in?
Sterling Silver is hardy in USDA zones 6-9. That range describes the winter cold it can survive; gardeners colder than zone 6 should give it winter protection or grow it in a movable container.
Is Sterling Silver easy to grow?
Hybrid teas can be prone to black spot in humid regions, so air flow and autumn clean-up matter. Give Sterling Silver full sun, well-drained soil, and the ordinary seasonal care any rose appreciates, and it is a straightforward rose to grow.
How and when should I prune Sterling Silver?
Prune Sterling Silver in late winter to an open, outward-facing framework, then deadhead through the season — see our step-by-step guide to pruning roses for the full method.