'Eternal Flame' Memorial Rose Bloom Reaches For The Heavens And Record Books In OC

LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA — A south Orange County resident's gesture to honor her late brother has grown into a mesmerizing botanical phenomenon that may get its place in The Guinness Book of World Records.

Jane Whitechurch-DePierro purchased a rose bloom tagged "Eternal Flame" at a local nursery in Laguna Niguel to memorialize her older brother, John Whitechurch, who passed away in 2020.

"He was four years older than me, and we lost our parents young so he and I just became support for each other. We're like best friends. We were." Whitechurch-DePierro told Patch. Her brother passed away in 2020 of a sudden heart attack during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whitechurch-DePierro planted the rose bloom in 2020 in her brother's memory. Then in June 2024, a particular lengthy stem on the plant sparked up a debate between Whitechurch-DePierro and her husband, Mick DePierro.

He wanted to cut the stem, but she had other ideas.

"I asked myself, what would happen if I didn't cut the stem? Would it grow? And how tall?" Whitechurch-DePierro said.

By August, the lengthy stem had shot up to an impressive height of almost eight feet, with a beautiful bulb crowning the tip like a Christmas tree.

But the growth didn't stop there. By work of water, sunshine and love, Whitechurch-DePierro's "Eternal Flame" continued to grow through the season — even shooting off several stalks from the hearty stem of the plant, which is sturdy enough to support the bloom's stunning height.

"It's him, for sure," said. "A piece of him."

The massive rose bloom held strong through the January 2025 windstorms and subsequent wildfires, as well as bouts of rain. Now, it stands at a proud 13 and-a-half feet just outside Whitechurch-DePierro's front door.

Due to the rose bloom's impressive height, Whitechurch-DePierro began investigating other tall rose blooms recorded in The Guinness Book of World Records.

"The height of the rose stem was measured by using a ladder and a tape measure, and I spent many hours orchestrating the timing of the event with all of the required people and equipment to meet my submission for entry," she said. "With the volunteered assistance of two qualified professional witnesses and my neighbors and friends as volunteers independent witnesses, I am excited to submit proof of my 'Eternal Flame' Hybrid Tea Rose as the 'Tallest Bloom' in The Guinness Book of World Records."

While Whitechurch-DePierro is excited at the prospect of her beloved bloom making it into The Guinness Book of World Records, she said that the greatest joy stems from the sense of closeness she has found with her brother's memory and spirit through raising the "Eternal Flame."

"Losing [John] was devastating, but now I've had so many spiritual experiences with him here — and this rose has validated that," added Whitechurch-DePierro.