The first varieties of this family most probably appeares in the Middle Ages in Europe.
Leaves, fruit and branches can easily be linked with their likely ancestor : rosa canina and also rosa damascena.
This family only includes a small number of vigourous and strong rose trees in our climate.
Apart from white roses, these rose trees show a variety of pale pink colours.
The white rose of York :
Rosa alba maxima also called The rose of York in England, played an important part in the war of the roses which devastated England for the following thirty years.
The two rival houses of York and Lancaster fighting for the throne of England had a white rose and a red rose for emblems. The study of photos and pictures allows us to conclude that rosa x alba maxima belongs to the family of York.
The reconciliation of the two houses, after Henri Tudor's and Elisabeth York' s marriage, was symbolized by the red and white rose called "York and Lancaster"

Rose's name	Year	creator
Belle Amour		unknown
Celestial		unknown
Chloris	1848	Prévost
Cuisse de Nymphe	< 1738	unknown
Jeanne d'Arc	1818	Vibert
Köningin von Dänemark	1816	Booth
Mme Legras de St Germain	< 1846	unknown
Mme Plantier	1835	Plantier