Heritage, Volume 7, Number 2, Spring 1989 Page: 11

Propagating Old Roses
Old roses have become popular again as
landscape plant material because of their soft
pastel colors, true rose fragrance, and lower
maintenance. Most varieties do best as own root
plants-that is, they may be rooted from cuttings
instead of grafted or budded onto rootstocks
as most modem roses are propagated.
A rooted cutting of an old rose is actually a
clone of the original plant which may be hundreds,
or even thousands, of years old and could
have been admired and nurtured by famous
people of the past. Most old roses were handed
down from one family member or friends to
another in this way, and it is the method most
old rose collectors prefer today. Such plants are,
in a sense, living antiques and may still be found
in old cemeteries, abandoned homesites and
sometimes in the well-tended gardens of rural
Texans.
Fortunately for those of us living in Texas
and the Gulf South, most of our better-adapted
old roses are particularly well adapted to growing
on their own roots and can be propagated
successfully by anyone interested in making the
effort. Remember, roses still under patent (seventeen
years from date of introduction) cannot
be legally propagated without paying a royalty
to the holder of the patent.
Some old roses, like those in the Gallica and
Rugosa classes, tend to sucker badly and spread
into areas where they are not welcome. If this is
a concern, varieties that sucker may be grafted
or budded onto a rootstock that doesn't have
this characteristic, such as R. fortuniana or R.
multiflora.
The following suggestions for rooting rose
cuttings are not likely to result in 90 to 100
percent rooting, but neither do they require
special structures, watering systems or daily
supervision. Success will vary because of the
large number of variables involved, but many
people report 50 to 75 percent of the cuttings
they treat in this manner develop into usable
plants.
WHEN TO TAKE CUTTINGS
Roses may be rooted at any time of the year,
but for home gardeners, success is much more
likely during the cool months from November
through February. Late fall is a favorite time
because there are usually a few blossoms still
remaining on everblooming types to identify
them.

HOW TO TAKE CUTTINGS
The easiest part of the rose to root is the tips of
stems that have recently bloomed. Ideally,

these tips have withered flowers or hips beginning
to form. The flower heads or hips should be
removed down to the first set of healthy leaves.
Cuttings should be 6 to 8 inches long and cut
from the parent plant with a sharp knife or
pruning shears at about a 45 degree angle. It is
important that the cuttings not be allowed to
dry out or be exposed to extreme heat or cold, at
least until they are stuck into the rooting medium.
Experienced old rose collectors often
carry styrofoam ice chests, plastic bags and a
small amount of water and ice if they are likely
to be in very hot conditions before getting the
cuttings to the rooting area. Cuttings may be
stored for several days in this manner, if necessary,
but the sooner they are stuck, the better.
CARE DURING THE
ROOTING PERIOD
It is especially important early in the rooting
period of the cuttings that they not be allowed
to dry out. This may require watering every
other day or so if rain does not occur. It should
not be necessary to provide cold protection to
the rooting cuttings in most of Texas and the
Gulf Coast, but extreme cold can cause damage
that could have been prevented by covering for
a few hours or days.
During the first month or two after being
stuck, the cuttings begin to develop what is
called "callus tissue." It is a swelling on the cutting
tip and other areas where roots are to
develop. As the winter begins to turn to spring,
the cuttings will sprout roots and new growth.
This is a critical time for the new plants and it
is important that they not be allowed to dry out.
Although the plants are usually well rooted by
late April or May, it is best to leave them in
place until the next fall or winter. The young
plants are extremely vulnerable to stress the first
summer and are best left to develop a good root
system.
TRANSPLANTING TO A
PERMANENT LOCATION
By late fall or winter the young plants should
be ready to move to a permanent location in the
landscape. They will be small, but most varieties
grow quickly and produce a fair quantity of
flowers by the next spring. To protect them
from wind damage, it is usually a good idea to
prune back any tall shoots and thin the plants
sparingly, if possible, at the time they are being
transplanted. During the naturally dormant
period in late winter the plants may be dug
either with a ball of soil or bare root. For best

results, plant in locations receiving at least a
half day of sun in well-prepared soil. A regular
fertilizer program may be started by mid-spring.

ROSE ENTHUSIASTS
Old rose enthusiasts have banded together
to form organizations dedicated to
preserving and identifying many of the
thousands of varieties introduced during the
18th and 19th centuries. Several of these
groups offer newsletters and sponsor
symposia and displays of old garden roses.
The Heritage Rose Foundation is a national
non-profit organization dedicated to
research and preservation of roses. The
Foundation will be joining a Houston-based
group known as the "Texas Rose Rustlers" to
sponsor a day-long symposium, display of old
roses, and full day of touring Washington
County gardens April 20-22. Headquarters
for the event will be College Station, with
registration information available from::
The Heritage Rose Foundation
Charles A. Walker, Jr., President
512 Gorman Street
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
Other national and state organizations
offering information and newsletters include
the following: (Please include a
stamped self-addressed envelope when inquiring.)

Heritage Roses Group
Mitzi VanSant
South Central U.S. Editor
810 East 30th Street
Austin, Texas 78705
Old Texas Rose Newsletter
(Houston area)
Mrs. Margaret P. Sharpe, Editor
9426 Kerrwood
Houston, Texas 77080
The Yellow Rose (Dallas area)
Joe M. Woodard, Editor
8636 Sans Souci Drive
Dallas, Texas 75238
An interesting newsletter and annual
meeting are sponsored by the Southern Garden
History Society. They have the distinction
of being the first regional society in the
United States devoted to the study of garden
history and are dedicated to recognizing and
promoting excellence in the restoration and
creation of southern period gardens.
Southern Garden History Society

Old Salem, Inc.
Drawer F, Salem Station
Winston-Salem, NC 27108

HERITAGE * SPRING 1989 1 1