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Rose Rosette discovered in my Knock out scrub roses #859658

Asked February 22, 2024, 3:06 PM EST

Do I need to notify anyone in Wake county that I had a row of knock out roses that had to be removed due to having rose rosette? Even though this is an air borne disease, I think the landscaping company brought it to my plants on their shears. Is this possible?

Wake County North Carolina

Expert Response

Rose rosette is now so widespread that no notifications are needed.  If it was a more localized disease or pest then the Wake County horticulture extension agent would be notified and then sthe appropriate control agency would take over.  The virus is airborne in that it is spread by mites that carry the virus.  These mites can travel quite far, so if there was rose rosette anywhere near you, then it could have come from another rose.  In order for the landscaping company to have brought the mites to your plants they would have had to have been cutting diseased plants fairly recently as research has shown that the mites can only live a few days without a host.   Also, the disease can be in the plant for several months before symptoms appear.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied February 22, 2024, 3:34 PM EST
Hello,

Thanks for your reply.  I had healthy scrub roses until the landscaping company cut them, which they had never done before.  They very well may not have cleaned their shears before starting my landscaping.

On Thu, Feb 22, 2024 at 3:35 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied February 22, 2024, 9:53 PM EST

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