Description of the Yellow Rose of Texas

The Yellow Rose of Texas

• The Yellow Rose of Texas refers to Miss Emily D. West, who was a housekeeper at the New Washington Association's hotel near the head of Galveston Bay. Legend states that West was both beautiful and seductive. During the Texas Revolution in the 1830s, West supposedly seduced Mexican Gen. Santa Ana; she performed pleasurable acts to preoccupy the general. As the general temporarily abandoned his military initiatives, Texans attacked and defeated the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto in April 1836. No evidence exists, however, that his story is based on historical fact.

The Context of Yellow Rose

• The word yellow in the early 19th century didn't always refer to the cheerful bright color. In the context of people, or more so their lineage, yellow meant someone of mixed race. West was a free slave, but someone of mixed white and black heritage. Also in that era, any rose symbolized a young woman. Therefore, the Yellow Rose of Texas described a young mixed-race woman. The song was first published in 1858 and likely just a simple song about a man yearning to win the heart of a lady. By the time of the Civil War, the song was popular among Confederate soldiers, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

Modern Garden Roses

• Since the Yellow Rose of Texas is not actually a historical rose flower, any yellow blooming rose cultivar -- such as Belinda' Dream -- may be planted and colloquially called as such, especially if growing within Texas' borders. As recently as 2007, one rose cultivar in particular has seemingly been commonly regarded as the Yellow Rose of Texas. Once known by cultivar name Nagadoches, it is marketed as Grandma's Yellow, also marketed as the Yellow Rose for Texas.

Grandma's Yellow Rose

• In 1998 near Castroville, Texas, a rose-loving gardener named Clotilda Mary (Tillie) Jungman happened to grow mutations of a yellow rose that prospered in alkaline soil and showed excellent disease resistance. Once Grandma Tillie passed away in 2005, this resilient yellow rose was named Grandma's Yellow and marketed to the horticultural trade. It grows with an upright, bushy habit 4 to 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It bears deep yellow flowers, each with 17 to 25 petals, that smell spicy sweet. The leaves mature deep green but first emerge with a bronze casting.