The Rose That Survived Hurricane Katrina 

I think it’s wonderful that it’s symbolic of the resilience of the people of New Orleans.

United Kingdom botanical horticulturalist Charles Shi, referencing the Peggy Martin rose that survived underwater during Hurricane Katrina. 

Why It Matters: This week marks the 20^th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, “one of the deadliest and most destructive storms in U.S. history.” New Orleans is holding events all week to remember the lives lost and honor the resilience of the community. One fitting symbol of that resilience? The Peggy Martin rose. 

Before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, Peggy Martin and her husband, MJ, evacuated their home in Phoenix, Louisiana. When they returned three weeks later, Martin made a surprising discovery amid the damage: the rose growing on her shed survived the storm. A friend gave her the rose 16 years earlier, and horticulturists studying it have never been able to find a genetic match. Texas A&M horticulture professor Dr. William C. Welch helped study and cultivate the rose for wider distribution. Since then, people have planted the rose across the U.S., and nursery managers praise it as a resilient, beginner-friendly variety. For Martin, the rose is deeply personal – a living reminder of her parents, Rosalie and Pivon Dupuy, who died during Hurricane Katrina: “In my heart, I think that my mom and dad wanted to leave something to me.” 

Learn More:  

• The Peggy Martin Rose: 20 years after Hurricane Katrina (Louisiana State University)
• A mysterious rose survived Hurricane Katrina and spread throughout the US. Its origins are still unknown (CNN) 
• The rose that survived Hurricane Katrina—and now blooms across the country (National Geographic) 

Image Credit: Anna Ribbeck/LSU AgCenter