Picked up eight roses today that where planted in the 40’s, all looked clean and six look big and strong. Is there any chance something other than Dr Huey was used as root stock? Neil
Always a chance, depending upon what their origin was.
Neil, the reason Rosa canina is wild here in our area is because it was the root stock of yesteryear 
Guess I’ll pay more attention to what’s said about Rosa canina because two pieces of root stock had roots. Had some root stock that looked similar and it grew into a monster with virus. Neil
I havent seen any with virus, but that doesnt mean there isnt any. The birds propagate a lot of it by seed tho, so who knows what happened over time.
Oh, on some random roses, Ive seen some weird root stock used. Its like some short, finely bristled rose species or species hybrid. I have no clue what it was, but I’m guessing that it was somehow related to something from the Cinnamonae types.
Several decades ago, I got Leonie Bell to ID some roses for me from photos (the paper kind). I had one she called Rosa rugosa Hollandica which she claimed had been used particularly for standards back a few decades more. Thorniest rose ever, once blooming suckering, 5-6 ft high back in PA where I got it, and she lived. Sadly, I’ve lost it within the past decade. Another common rootstock was a very early multiflora hybrid (sterile) with flesh-colored clusters of sort of double flowers. Amazingly easy to root, and tough as nails. I found it at an old abandoned foundation on a hillside west of town. Be happy to supply some to anyone needing it, after it’s done flowering.
Is it this thing, Larry?
Yes. I was too lazy to look it up while writing. Not that this is very thorny, just that it was a rootstock. R multiflora, Carnea (flesh-colored). I think I offered it a couple years ago- no takers.
Seen some vigorous root stock a short time ago with runners 12-14ft. long on the ground and no height; reminded me of snakes so I passed on that one. Neil
New growth on one of the roses that looks more brown than not. It’s a first of that color for me, not that it will stay like that. Neil
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Dug from a 12 inch wide bed, this is what they turned out,
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Don’t know what this is but it’s nice
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Behind the red is Golden Showers
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You’ve resurrected them well, congrats!