Grafted roses

Grafted roses are the preferred way to grow hybrid teas, teas and other roses in nematode ridden Florida. The preferred rootstock in ‘Fortuniana’ rose. This root stock resists nematodes and allows many favorite roses to grow in our climate. Root knot nematodes are microscopic worms that clog the root systems of roses, gardenias, some hibiscus, and other plants. The clogged root systems cannot take up water and nutrients so the plants gradually decline. Grafted roses on ‘Fortuniana’ root stock can last 30-40 years or more in the landscape. Unfortunately sometimes the graft does not last and the expensive top of the roses slowly dies away.

My ‘Mrs. B. R. Cant’ rose is one of the biggest of the shrubby tea roses. My plant grew 10 feet tall with a 12 foot spread. This beautiful rose has cabbage-like blooms that can be up to 4 inches across in the winter months. Summer flowers are smaller averaging 21/2 to 3 inches across. Flowers are dark pink in the winter and darken during the summer months to almost red. The thorns on this rose are big so weeding can be a problem.

My rose is slowly dying back now one large branch at a time. The weed whacker never touched the plant as its thorny stems kept that implement at bay. I can see stem dieback at the graft union and this can happen with these plants. It is very sad to see this garden friend slowly die but the lawn man will certainly appreciate its demise.