We hear it all the time, the City of Tyler is the rose capital of the Country, but is that really the case? CBS19 fact checkers set out to verify.

According to Henry Bell, the Chief Operating Officer for the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, East Texas was originally known for growing peaches. Bell said at the turn of the century many of the peach crops were destroyed and it wasn’t until then that farmers switched over to growing roses.

“In the 1920’s these farmers all started growing roses that we produced over half of all the commercially grown rose bushes in the united states,” said Bell.

Mark Chamblee’s, owner of Chamblee’s Rose Nursery said that East Texas still processes, packages and distributes the majority of commercially sold rose bushes, making Tyler the rose capital of the U.S.

It is important to note that the plants grown and processed in Tyler are not usually used for flower arrangements.

“It’s not the long stem rose. It’s not the bloom, it’s not what you get at the florist or that kind of thing but it’s the rose bush,” said Bell.

Chamblee said those bushes have been hybridized into hundreds of different combinations that have different characteristics. One of those creations is named after East Texas Country star Miranda Lambert.

“Naturally a Miranda Lambert Rose has to be pink and it makes a very tall plant, the blooms are quite large and they do have a nice petal count and some fragrance,” said Chamblee.

Chamblee also said that Tyler has the perfect climate to grow the flowers.

“Roses like a nice amount of humidity, also the rainfall is very good,” said Chamblee. “They like about an inch a week on average and then sandy lone soil that we have in most areas that is slightly acidic which is good for roses,” said Chamblee.

VERIFY: Sources

Mark Chamblee, owner of Chamblee's Rose Nursery

Henry Bell, Chief Operating Officer, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce