Any experience with Queen Elizabeth or JFK roses?

14 years ago

I'm a sucker for markdown plants. Bought a Queen Elizabeth and a John F. Kennedy bareroot roses off the dirt cheap rack at Walmart a couple of months ago and am just getting around to planting them. Right now they look good, leafy and green. However, when I google Queen Elizabeth some say it's a climber and others a shrub. Anyone in Georgia/Alabama have experience growing this older variety? I'm just trying to figure out whether or not I need to plant it along a fence. Thought I'd try you guys first and if no answers I'll post on the rose forum.

From what I read about JFK it's a shorter shrubbier rose no more than 3-4 feet tall. Any input is appreciated. Of course they're probably both black spot and mildew magnets lol.

Thanks, Danielle

Comments (5)

natalie4b
14 years ago
Danielle,

I have just purchased and planted 3 Queen Elizabeth in HD few weeks back, and had no idea they might be climbers. Sure hope not, otherwise they need to be moved ASAP.

Look forward to hear from more experienced gardeners.

~Natalie
squirrellypete
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi Natalie, I hope you're right and it isn't a climber. I don't really have a good spot to put it if it is. I don't know if the websites I was reading about climbing Queen Elizabeth is actually a different type or if it really is a climber. I guess I can always plant it and find out for myself lol.

Danielle
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girlgroupgirl
14 years ago
From what I could see, Queen Elizabeth is a hybrid tea rose which is from the 50's. It is a shrub rose.
naturemama
14 years ago
I have grown Queen Elizabeth in Atlanta. Beautiful blossoms, bloom all summer. The black spot is the problem that gets them by the end of the summer. I don't use pesticides, so I try to control it by picking up leaves on the ground and occasionally using organic sprays. I have had two gardens and in the first one, it took a few years before the spot started. In my new garden, I have two plants and one just got spot and it is touching another plant, so it must have gotten more moisture. Even when the leaves fall off from the spot, you still have pretty flowers.

I always have the climber New Dawn, which has better resistance (in my experience), and is easy. FYI: I have some photos at this link: http://web.me.com/kaylaenglelewis/Site_5/Roses.html
squirrellypete
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks GGG and Naturemama. Appreciate the info and glad to hear it's not going to take off. I read another website and it claimed that sometimes mutations occur that result in climbing varieties genetically identical to standard shrub varieties which I didn't know. So maybe that was the climbing Queen Elizabeth variety I saw previously referenced. I do spray my roses and am pretty good about deadheading and leaf cleanup so maybe it'll help keep any black spot in check.

I thought I had 'New Dawn' which I received at one of our swaps from someone but it turns out it's blooming red so it's definitely not New Dawn. It's still a very pretty climber though, I wish I knew what it was called.

Thanks again. Danielle