Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
canadian_rose

Night Owl's progeny

canadian_rose
11 years ago

Has anyone every hybridized Night Owl?

This rose does very well for me, and I would like to use it in my hybridizing.

Does it produce offspring that has more petals? I think its vigor, color and airiness would be lovely to add to a rose that has more blooms - so hybridizing with Betty White, Memorial Day, etc.

What are your thoughts?
Carol

Comments (10)

  • roseseek
    11 years ago

    There's a lot behind Night Owl which might result in some interesting things. R. Soulieana is in quite a few decent roses Tom Carruth created, Night Owl being one. If it performs well for you, how you have to grow it, you might get some nice seedlings from it. So far, only two have been reported on Help Me Find; Kathy Strong's Captain Jack and Carruth's Diamond Eyes. The number of petals in your seedlings is going to be affected by the genetics of what else you cross it with. Your more double HTs could give you some double, mauve shrubs, perhaps even more climbers. You'll have to see how the genes shuffle themselves when the seedlings grow. Kim

  • canadian_rose
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I looked on HelpmeFind advanced search - I didn't see any progeny!!!

    I was thinking of Memorial Day, Betty White and Paradise Found.

    I definitely want to to for the more full flower. Maybe I should rethink Night Owl. :)
    Carol

  • roseseek
    11 years ago

    You don't have to use the Advanced Search, Carol. Click on the "Lineage" tab. Go to "Descendents by Generation" and it will list the two I mentioned. Memorial Day has been used rather nicely it appears, by Brad Jalbert. Betty White only has a climbing sport to her credit so far and Paradise Found has none, yet. I would think any of them could create something neat with Night Owl.

    Of course, there will be a number of single to semi double seedlings. That's Nature's way of guarantying fertility. Seedlings will often increase in their number of petals with maturity, so something with perhaps fifteen or so, may mature into twenty-five. Don't give up on them too soon. If the plant is healthy, vigorous, of attractive foliage, growth and color, it may well be worth breeding further generations with. Using Night Owl could well be engineering in health, vigor and saturated color in on the ground floor. I'd think it might make an interesting starting point.

    I understand your desire for more double seedlings, however using a less double seed parent might well produce more seedlings than one of the more double because of the greater fertility of a less double bloom. You may also have greater disease resistance because of what created Night Owl. It's closer to a healthy species with a lot less inbreeding than the usual HT. Kim

    This post was edited by roseseek on Mon, Jan 14, 13 at 1:02

  • canadian_rose
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I hear you! :) Sounds like a great idea. That's why I picked Night Owl in the first place. I might as well do a couple of crosses with her. I had better be good in my record keeping!! Not one of my strengths LOL

  • roseseek
    11 years ago

    If knowing what is behind a seedling is that important and interesting to you, like patience, you quickly learn how to keep the records. My failing has been more the critters outside either eating the danged tags or stealing the labels. Rats and mice love stealing tags. One of Jeri's dogs LOVES stealing the labels. There will always be some force working against you. Another "patience teaching" exercise!

    I think the potential benefits in color and health out weigh the potential lack of petal count using Night Owl. You can over come a lot of that in your selection process and what you choose to breed with your first generation results. It will be interesting seeing what you come up with! Kim

  • canadian_rose
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yeah, labels....that might take a bit of thought. I laminate rose information and put them in my pots - i.e.
    Rose Name
    Year I got it
    Hybridizer and year
    parents

    So I could use small tags that I laminate or....we'll see. Any thoughts?
    Carol

  • roseseek
    11 years ago

    Well, a suggestion on the Rose Hybridizers Association was to cut up aluminum drink cans into strips; punch a hole in one end with a standard, hand held hole punch; then write the information on the tag with a pencil. It embosses the aluminum so it doesn't wash off. You can use twist ties or a piece of aluminum wire to tie it to the plant or a stake in the ground by the plant. It's very much like the Cole Aluminum Plant Tags.

    For the actual crosses, there are also several options. One is to use the above, but that's heavy and costly in my opinion. If you'd be interested, I have detailed what I do to make and mark my crosses on my rose blog. Please feel free to enjoy and make use of any of it you like. I do like to keep it cheap, quick, easy and fun, so it may not be as involved or as "scientific" as some like to make it, but I figure if it's "work", why do it as my "hobby"? Kim

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pollinating roses

  • canadian_rose
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I'll check that out!! And the cans sound like a good idea. I was thinking of using garden tape - green stuff.

    Carol

  • canadian_rose
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Wow! Just checked your blog out - very good. The pictures helped enormously. Thank you so much!!!
    Carol

  • roseseek
    11 years ago

    You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Kim

Sponsored
Interior Style by Marisa Moore
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars57 Reviews
Northern Virginia Interior Designer - Best of Houzz 2013-2020!