TULSA MASTER GARDENERLEL

TIPS

ENDURING FRAGRANT ROSES FOR OKLAHOMA
Credits
Dr.Steve George, Professor and Extension Landscape Specialist, Texas A&M University
Barry Fugatt, Director of Horticulture, Tulsa Garden Center
Dr. Mike Schnelle, Professor and Extension Ornamentals Specialist, Oklahoma State University
Phil Pratt, County Extension Director and Plant Pathologist, Tulsa, County
Sue Gray, County Extension Educator, Horticulture, Tulsa County


WHAT ARE ENDURING ROSES?
GROWING TIPS FOR ENDURING ROSES
LIST OF ENDURING ROSES FOR TULSA
DWARF SHRUBS
MEDIUM SHRUBS
MANNERLY CLIMBERS
VIGOROUS CLIMBERS
THORNLESS CLIMBER
FOOTNOTES


What Are Enduring Roses?

Texas A&M University has done years of testing to identify roses that will survive under low levels of maintenance (low fertility, minimum irrigation, no pesticides to control insects and diseases). Roses able to survive and produce under these conditions are designated by Texas A&M Agriculture Program as Earth-Kind* roses. "Earth-Kind" translates to enduring, low maintenance roses.

Based on Texas A&M's research, field trials conducted by Oklahoma State University, and advice of leading Oklahoma rosarians, it is believed the following roses are some of the lowest maintenance, most throughly tested, and most environmentally responsible rose cultivars for use in Oklahoma. Once established these enduring roses are very heat, drought and wind tolerant with good insect and disease tolerance. They are winter hardy throughout the entire state of Oklahoma, and do very well in almost any soil type, from well-drained acid sands to poorly aerated, alkaline clays.

These roses are certainly not immune to pest problems. However, given the proper site and spacing, their tolerance to disease and insect pests is so great that as long as you do not mind a few leaflets dropping occasionally, you will almost never need to apply insecticides or fungicides to these roses!

Table of Contents

Growing Tips for Enduring Roses

Planting Site
Ensure that plants:
xxx-xxreceive full, direct sunlight for 8 hours or more each day,
xxx-xxhave good air movement around the leaves, and
xxx-xxare not being sprinkler (overhead) irrigated during the evening hours or at night.
xxx-xxRemember, fungi will walk 50 miles to infect wet leaves at night!

Bed Preparations
Roses really respond to well aerated (i.e. well drained soils). To prepare the planting bed properly in:
xxx-xxSandy and loam soils: incorporate 3-6 inches of organic matter such as compost,
xxx-xxClay soils: incorporate 3 inches of expanded shale, then 3 inches of organic matter
xxx-xx(e.g. compost) to create a raised bed that is 6 inches higher than the surrounding soil.

Plant Spacing
For air circulation add:
xxx-xx 1 foot to mature width of dwarf shrubs,
xxx-xx 2 feet to medium shrubs and climbers.

Maintenance
Keep bed mulched year-round with 3 inches of organic material, e.g. shredded hardwood bark. When soil in the root ball is dry to a depth of 1 inch, water thoroughly. Don't water too often!

Insect and Disease Pests
The roses listed in this publication were selected because of their tolerance to many of the insects and diseases that commonly attack roses. However rose growers should monitor their roses for Japanese beetle, a relatively new insect pest in the Tulsa area. Avoid overhead irrigation and promote good air circulation to help prevent black spot foliar disease.

Table of Contents


List of Enduring Roses for Tulsa
Explanation: GOOGLE Search Button; name; year of origin; rose classification; approximate mature height x width; blossom color; blossom type; frequency of blooming; fragrance; other important characteristics; USDA cold hardiness zones (for reference; Tulsa is 6b, Oklahoma City is zone 7a).

Footnotes

1. Polyantha Roses: reported to be a natural cross between the cluster-flowered Rosa multiflora and repeat-blooming Rosa chinensis. Polyantha roses are tough, leafy, and quite hardy. They are distinguished by a nice, compact, shrubby habit and profusion of smaller-sized flowers. Somestimes referred to as 'flower machines'. they bloom continuously throughout their growing season.
2. Shrub Roses: this class of rose is a "catch all' for roses that do not fit well in other classes. This "duke's mixture" of a class includes everything from hybrid rugosas developed in the late 1800's, to hybrid musks developed in the 1900s, to floribundas and the latest and newest introductions in landscape roses.
"Shrub rose" may be a poor choice of words, and as a result the term is largely artificial because all roses are in fact shrubs - just as is lilac or forsythia. "Shrub," as applied to roses, is more a case of definition by usage rather than by description. Shrub roses are noted for their well-rounded shape, their exceptional winter hardiness, and their better than average disease resistance.
3. Climbers are a vigorously growing class of rose that has canes of up to 20 feet in length. Climbers are often sports of bush form of Hybrid Teas an Floribunda. Training the long canes in a horizontal position will produce more blooms. a climber does not attach itself to supports but must be tied onto a trellis for support.
4. Number of Petals:
xxx-xxSingle: Having five petals
xxx-xxSemi-double: Having a petal count of between twelve and sixteen
xxx-xxDouble: Having a petal count of seventeen or more, typically full flowered roses with
xxx-xx twenty-six to forty petals per blossom
xxx-xxFully double or very double: Having a petal count of over 40, and possibly as high as 100

Need More Help?

Walk-ins are welcome at the Master Gardeners' office at the O.S.U. Extension Center, 4116 E. 15th Street (Fairground Gate #6). You can reach us by phone at (918) 746-3701. Our hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday except County holidays.

Tulsa Master Gardeners are Tulsa County residents and experienced gardeners who have received extensive training through the Cooperative Extension Service. Their desire is to share their knowledge, expertise and love of gardening with the Tulsa County gardening public. As volunteer representatives of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Tulsa Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of the Cooperative Extension Service.

URI:/blackbox/endure_rose.htm   Date Modified:Friday, 10-Aug-2007