4 Most Beautiful Purple Rose Varieties by the Talented Breeder Junko Kawamoto – Japan

By Paul Smith, pemdasgarden.com

There's a breeder in Japan who sees colors the rest of us can only dream about.

Junko Kawamoto doesn't just breed roses — she paints with them, and you're about to see her finest work. While most breeders chase redder reds and pinker pinks, Kawamoto-san wandered into the twilight: smoky purples, blue-lavender mists, white petals with hearts of violet. Colors that shouldn't exist in nature, coaxed into being through years of patient crossing.

Today we're meeting four of her most breathtaking creations — the purple roses that made gardeners around the world whisper her name with reverence.

The Alchemist of Purple 💜

Purple is the holy grail of rose breeding.

True blue doesn't exist in roses — the genetics simply aren't there — so breeders who want cool tones have to be clever, layering lavender, mauve, smoky gray, and violet in ways that suggest blue. It's some of the hardest work in horticulture.

Junko Kawamoto is one of the few who mastered it. Her roses don't just hint at purple — they live there, in shades from ghostly smoky-white to deep blue-violet, each with the rich, complex fragrances she's famous for.

All four roses below rebloom in waves every 4–5 weeks, and all can be started from seed with 6–8 weeks of cold stratification. Find your starting point in our rose seed collection.

Four Masterpieces in Purple

Blue Moon Stone Rose

Moonlit. Magical. Like a stone that glows.

Picture this: clusters of white petals, each one holding a heart of purple — sometimes violet, sometimes pink-purple, sometimes blushing pink. On a tall, vigorous bush of 150–200 cm, the effect is like moonlight caught in flower form.

The 5–8 cm blooms arrive in large clusters, each lasting 5–8 days, with a richly complex fragrance of apple, cherry, woody notes, lemongrass, and lemon. It's the kind of scent that stops conversations.

This is for you if… you want the single most eye-catching rose in this collection — the one visitors photograph first.

Saphiret Rose

Smoky. Mysterious. Pure atmosphere.

Bred in 2016, Saphiret is Kawamoto's study in smoke — petals that drift through smoky white, gray-white, and smoky purple, sometimes all on one bloom. The large 8–12 cm flowers have a sweet, fruity fragrance and an almost antique, faded-fresco quality.

On a 120–150 cm bush, these blooms look like something from a dream — or a French painting. They pair breathtakingly with silver foliage and deep greens.

This is for you if… your garden style leans romantic-gothic, and you love flowers with depth and mood.

Gabriel Rose

Angelic name. Devilishly beautiful.

From 2008, Gabriel is perhaps Kawamoto's most famous creation: 6–10 cm blooms in purple and smoky purple with an intense herbal-fruity fragrance. It's the rose that launched a thousand obsessions.

She's a slow grower (120–150 cm) with delicate, slender branches — and because the flowers are large, they tend to nod gracefully under their own weight. Plant her where you can look into the blooms: along a path edge, in a raised bed, or in a large pot at just the right height.

This is for you if… you want to grow the legend itself — the purple rose that started it all for so many collectors.

Lucifer Rose

Dark. Daring. Utterly unforgettable.

Don't let the name scare you — Lucifer (also 2008) is pure beauty. Purple, smoky purple, and blueish-purple tones in 6–10 cm blooms with the same rich herbal-fruity perfume as Gabriel. Where Gabriel is dusk, Lucifer is midnight.

Same graceful habit: slow-growing, 120–150 cm, slender branches that bow slightly under those magnificent blooms. Give her a stake or a sheltered spot, and she'll reward you with flowers that look lit from within.

This is for you if… you garden boldly and want the deepest, most dramatic purple of the four.

Growing Kawamoto's Beauties 🌿

These roses are exotic-looking, but their needs are refreshingly ordinary.

Full sun (6+ hours), rich well-drained soil, good air circulation, regular feeding — the classic rose recipe. Most thrive in USDA zones 5–9. Sow dates shift with your zone; adjust by a few weeks for your climate.

Two special notes for this quartet:

Support the nodders. Gabriel and Lucifer's slender stems benefit from discreet staking or peony rings. Think of it as giving them a stage to perform on.

Embrace the slow start. Kawamoto's roses often spend their first season building roots. Year two is when the magic happens — be patient, and you'll be repaid a hundredfold.

Starting from seed? Stratify 6–8 weeks cold and moist, sow 1/4 inch deep, and keep seedlings bright and cozy. Our rose seed collection has the full method.

Timing matters in the garden. Our gardening tools hub has a seed-starting date calculator and a frost date finder to help you plan sowing around your local climate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these roses really purple, or more pink?
They're genuinely in the purple family — smoky violet, lavender-gray, blue-purple — though tones shift with temperature and light. Cool weather deepens the purple.

Who is Junko Kawamoto?
A Japanese rose breeder celebrated for pioneering work in purple, smoky, and blue-toned roses, known for combining unusual colors with rich fragrances.

Can I grow these from seed?
Yes — with 6–8 weeks of cold stratification. Note that seed-grown roses vary; the color range stays in the family but each seedling is unique.

Which is the most fragrant?
Blue Moon Stone, with its layered apple-cherry-lemongrass perfume. Gabriel and Lucifer's herbal-fruity scent is a close second.

Do they need special care?
No — standard rose care plus a little staking for Gabriel and Lucifer. They're as tough as they are beautiful.

Wrapping Things Up!

Some breeders grow roses. Junko Kawamoto creates atmospheres.

These four purples — moonlit, smoky, angelic, midnight — bring a kind of magic to the garden that no other color can. Plant one, and watch what happens to the light around it.

And as always, if you ever need help choosing, planning, or growing… we're here! Explore the rose seed collection and wander our Growing Guides for more inspiration. 💜