Named for Martha Gonzales, who found this class old-fashioned rose growing in her garden in Navasota, Texas, in 1984

This rose is a Sun/part shade, semi-evergreen shrub with crimson flowers. Since the quarter-sized flowers are flat-faced, they cover the plant's surface during the growing season. The foliage has a distinct reddish tinge, is relatively small and not heavily armed, but bears enough thorns to protect itself from pedestrians. It has been used in public landscapes to guide foot traffic.

'Martha Gonzalez' is incredibly carefree, and too much maintenance misses the point. Do water consistently in summer, and — if the bush's center gets too crowded — remove weak, old, or woody canes and cut back lateral shoots by one-third around February.