2 type rose bush - Ask Extension
We have a very old rose bush that has dark red flowers, normal size, every year. Also every year down at the base among the stems, small white roses b...
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2 type rose bush #203635
Asked July 31, 2014, 9:40 AM EDT
We have a very old rose bush that has dark red flowers, normal size, every year. Also every year down at the base among the stems, small white roses bloom. These are about the size of a dollar coin. Is this unusual for 2 different size and color roses from the same bush? To the best of anyones knowledge, the large rose bush was the only ever planted there. Noone remembers the white roses ever being planted in the exact same location.
County Pennsylvania
Expert Response
Hello, and thanks for using the Ask an Expert System.
The rose bush in the photo is a typical grafted rose. That is the red
flowering bush is grafted onto a vigorous, disease resistant root stock. Ordinarily the rootstock does not produce
stems and flowers. However under certain
condition you will get both stems and flowers from the root stock. It is best to remove the root stock stems
since they may overgrow the original and larger flowered red rose. I am attaching a link to a video that
explains the best way to identify and remove root stock stems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQVIlLgfTWg
