Beyond purposely selecting a specific rose variety or cultivar for its probability of doing well in the growing conditions in your region and in your particular flower garden, you need to select an individual plant that is healthy and strong. As part of its overall condition and prospects for a long and healthy life in your flower garden, take the time to carefully inspect the following.
Check the Graft
The graft should be fully healed over and solid. The graft is where the scion wood (the desired flowering rose) is attached to the rootstock (a sturdy root system) of a different rose selected only for its strong rooting capability. This means you have two separate plants attached together and growing as one.
If the graft is weak or damaged, shows a split or crack or other abnormality, then the top rose (the one you want) will die off. Then all you have left is the rootstock with an underwhelming flower, usually red.
Some roses are grown on their own roots instead of being grafted. This can be useful, especially in cold winter climates. Should the rose be badly winter damaged and killed back to the ground, it will regrow from its own roots and you will still have the same flowering rose.
Healthy Canes
A healthy rose bush should have three to five main stems or canes growing up from the base. They should be evenly spread apart and angling up and outward. The canes should be plump or stocky looking. They should be uniform in color. The canes should not show any blemishes or scraped or discolored or sunken areas and certainly no holes bored into them and no splits through them.
Healthy Foliage
A healthy rose bush in active growth has perky foliage well distributed along the canes. The foliage may be reddish or coppery or a slightly different shade of green at the tips of the newest growth, but overall it should look uniformly green. There should be no wilting, no drooping, no curling, no ripples or folds or holes in the leaves.
MORE ON BUYING ROSES:
This article is part 2 of the How To Buy A Great Rose Series:
ENJOY!
All Flower Gardens Articles So Far
Copyright 2006 Barbara Martin
