Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
fiesta_gw

Rose Bush Gone WIld?

fiesta
18 years ago

I think I have a rose bush that's gone wild. No roses this year - just lots of leaves that don't look like rose bush leaves. Is that possible?

Comments (8)

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    18 years ago

    Yes, possible, if this was a grafted rose and the rose died back to the ground over winter or the graft failed. You could be seeing growth from the root stock, generally a much hardier, vigorous but otherwise not garden worthy rose.

    "Grafted roses, commonly referred to as budded plants, are plants where the desired rose is grafted or budded onto a rootstock of a different type. The point where the desired variety and the rootstock meet is called the bud union.

    Own-root roses may be recommended for those in very cold climates. This is because an own-root rose that dies back to the ground during the winter can grow back the next year from the roots. If a grafted rose dies back to the ground, what will come up next Spring is the rootstock variety, usually an undesireable variety of rose."

  • lindac
    18 years ago

    But.....when a rose "goes wild" that is dies back below the graft, the wild growth looks every bit like a rose....thorns and all, but usually blooms with small white flowers.
    Those of us who live in zones 5 and north need to remember to plant a grafted rose with the graft 4 inches below the ground level.
    Linda C

  • susi319
    16 years ago

    I am a complete newbie to roses. I have been trying to maintain what was here at my house when i purchased it and have done ok till now. I have to bushes growing wild as well and am wondering if I should pull them out. Looking for help from an expert.

  • lindac
    16 years ago

    Cut all the "wild" stems back to the ground....you can tell the wild ones, they are tall and don't show signs of a bud. If there is anything left after you remove the wild stuff....leave it and remove any wild that regrows.
    If there is nothing left, dig it out. But be sure to get it all. I am currently dealing with a bit of wild root that keeps regrowing because I didn't get it all!
    Linda C

  • vetivert8
    16 years ago

    FWIW - you might actually have a 'heritage' rose or something that isn't a hybrid tea/floribunda of recent production.

    Rugosa roses are often grown on their own roots and throw up lots of prickly stems.

    The old variety 'Rosa mundi' - and many of the Gallica roses also don't look much like 'respectable' roses.

    Some only flower once in a season, then have a flush of rosehips - all sorts of shapes and colours from black to brilliant tomato as well as pleasing autumn colour. They're more of a two-season plant than many of the repeat-flowering roses.

    Also - their growth habit - bushy shrub, rambler, climber - can be very different from the more usual bush or standard forms. So can their leaf forms. Some can be very crinkled, or with little leaflets, and not shiny at all.

    You might want to look on the antique roses forum to see if you can spot plants similar to yours.

    (PS antique roses can be addictive. Moss roses... Damask...Enough! Enough!)

  • lindac
    16 years ago

    All but one of the roses I have had die back to root, were on multiflora stock...weedy tiny white flowers....and very hard to get rid of!
    Linda C

  • prattmomma_hotmail_com
    12 years ago

    My rose bushes of different varieties grew back with the same style rose. The blossoms are red and plentiful but not what I want. I want an antique red rose color that withstands the cold. Any suggestions?

Sponsored
Ed Ball Landscape Architecture
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars30 Reviews
Exquisite Landscape Architecture & Design - “Best of Houzz" Winner