Foundling:Foundling:
This
rose has been on Shimbo property since at least 1980, possibly much
earlier. * denotes tentative identification.
Location: Along the west side of a retaining wall, under an enormous juniper which has since been pruned, in Hygiene, Colorado USA. The wall against which the rose is growing was built in 1939. Age: Seems to have been growing in this spot since the juniper was quite small. Previous owner of the property tells me that the rose was growing there when she bought the place in 1980.
Hardiness: Nominally zone 5a although winters twenty years ago were much colder. Growing vigorously from suckers.
Surroundings: A very shaded area; a twenty-foot juniper on the east side; elms, willows and a house on the other three sides.
Soil: A thin layer of topsoil over heavy clay and many stones; very alkaline with a good deal of calcium.
Sun: Gets full sun only four or five hours in mid-morning, but most Colorado days are sunny and very bright.
Water source: Rainfall only, but may receive water in very small amounts from a nearby irrigation ditch.
How It Got There: Possibly planted, although roses of this type are prevalent in this part of the county and can be found in the middle of pastures.
Habit: Suckers freely. May produce suckers that extend up to a meter away from the main plant, but most are about 15-20 cm.
Cane size: 2 cm, 3 cm for very long canes. Canes may reach about two meters in length. Cane color: Grass to Olive Green. Year-old canes Tuscan Red to Brown. lexibility: New canes can be easily trained. Older canes still flexible but will hold themselves up.
Thorniness: few thorns. Thorns: A. Mossiness: none.
Disease/Damage: Most damage results from aphids and wind.
Season: the original plant was just budding out when the plant in the garden (a sucker from the former) already had leaves.
Leaflets number: Five, uniformly. Leaf color: Will tell you when I get some. Leaf texture: semi-gloss and leathery. Folding: none except by leaf-rollers.
Serrations: deep serrations. Scan of leaves to follow when mature leaves are available to scan.
Shoulder: none.
Pests and Problems: Particularly attractive to aphids.
Placement: Grow on year-old wood. Number: Two to five. Sepals: Very plain. Bud: A Size: 2cm wide, 2.5 cm tall. Timing: I’ll let you know.
The
Flowers:Shape: Open Cup, packed with petals. Size: 5-7 cm on the roses in the ditch.
Petal Number: between 70 and 80.
Petal Shape: Shape is very uniform; only the size changes.
Color: Waiting for this year’s crop to bloom. Color Effects: Color in the outer petals is paler than color on the inner.
Scent: Five, extremely powerful.
Flower Duration: TBA
Stamens: The stamens are bright pure yellow and only visible just before the flower shatters.
Remontancy: Once-blooming.
Pests and Problems: Aphids. Flowers reliably ball if rained on and must be protected.
Setting: Almost every flower left on the plant will set a hip, Size: perhaps half an inch. Color: Brick red. Texture: Smooth. Smell/Taste: Haven’t checked. Seeds: Up to 20 seeds. True-breeding: Unknown.