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Red rose bush also has small white roses.

Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,679
in Plants
When I saw the small white roses I thought it was a completely different bush but on looking at the root of the red rose bush it had sent up further stems in a paler green with these white roses. Not coming from under the ground but from the main stem. 
Any idea why this happened?


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Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,130
    edited July 2022
    The red rose is the named variety.
    The white rose has grown from the rootstock that the named variety was grafted onto.
    So basically they are 2 different roses - as are almost all bought roses.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • ManderMander Posts: 344
    I'm no expert by any means but could it be that it was grafted on to a different root stock which is now sending up shoots?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,913
    Can we see a photo of the bottom of the white-flowered stem please?

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,679
    Many thanks for your replies. 
    @Dovefromabove I may be able to get a photo of the bottom of the white-flowered stem a bit later on if daughter calls and is willing to go over the road to the allotment/garden!
    Thanks.
  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,679
    Hi @Dovefromabove. Have managed to get some photos but I'm afraid they are not very clear. 

    I think on the 3rd pic the white roses grow off the stem bottom left. I will be going over there this afternoon so will have a look. It's difficult to see without get scratched and caught on the thorns. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,913
    edited July 2022
    There must be a sucker coming from below the graft ... but I can't see it ... perhaps @Marlorena @Nollie @Busy-Lizzie or someone who grows more roses than I do nowadays can spot it. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,679
    I checked that it wasn't coming from underneath but it appears to be from the main root and probably grafted on.
    Will check again. Many thanks. 
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,586
    The root stock is probably dog rose. This happened to us with another variety and we didn't realise in time that the dog rose was taking over. However we quite like it and have left it to grow.
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 23,109
    I agree with @Pete.8's answer above.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,679
    Thank you all for your input. I had a closer look at it this afternoon and to me it looks as though the white rose was the main plant with the red grafted onto that. Like you @bertrand-mabel I will leave it to its own devices as it's quite pretty. I always think of it as a wild rose. 
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