Rust isnt an issue here, which is why feedback is so cool here on RHA. Spartan and Electron on the main culprits here. The Cinn. natives (piso, gyno, woodsii, acic) all do in the wild here. Otherwise, I never see it on roses.
Oh, I lied. I have also seen it on Vogue, Fashion and an older dark red Austin. I get them confused (Squire? The Knight? etc…) but it was one of them.
I was given a pack of roxburghii seed from Chilterns and ended up with six seedling from it.
They have spider mite damage but show absolutely no signs of disease.
So, has anyone found a source for roxburghii var hirtula seed yet?
This prompted me to check again on the seedling from Enrique’s seeds, turns out it did not make it. However, I do have one seedling from roxburghii normalis pollen on Francois Juranville that I’m pretty excited about.
;
Looks good Don… can definitely see the roxburghii influence. Looks like it will be a little “stiffer” than normal rox. and have good branching. How long does it normally take roxburghii seeds to bloom- anyone know?
I sure do wish I could my hands on ‘var hirtula’…
Great looking seedlings, Jon and Don! It will be exciting to see how they turn out.
I had 141 seedlings from R. roxburghii normalis X Mons. Tillier this year, and 19 seedlings from R. roxburghii normalis X Gilbert Nabonnand. Many of them lacked vigor and died young. Some are disease-prone. I’m still going to end up with dozens of very healthy vigorous seedlings. That’s a much higher ratio of keepers to non-keepers than I’ve had from any other cross.
The R. roxburghii normalis X Mons. Tillier seedlings have two distinct phenotypes. One is phenotype is exceptionally vigorous and has foliage with small leaflets and a slightly bluish cast. The other has normal vigor, true green foliage, and larger leaflets. The new foliage of both phenotypes has a red cast.
The R. roxburghii normalis X Gilbert Nabonnand seedlings all appear similar to each other. They have medium green foliage with small leaflets. The new foliage has a coppery cast, but not as much as the Mons. Tillier seedlings.
Mature leaflets of both crosses typically have 9 leaflets.
The more vigorous phenotype of the Mons. Tillier seedlings are the fastest growing seedlings I’ve ever seen. I just measured the longest cane on one of the seedlings, and it was over 5 feet long. I’ve never had other first year seedlings come close to that kind of growth. I suppose that the vigor is due to heterosis and don’t think it’s likely that seedlings of these seedlings will be as vigorous.
Here is a pic of five of the R. roxburghii normalis X Mons. Tillier seedlings. The two in the back are of the more vigorous phenotype. They are in 15 gal. cans. The three in the front are in 5 gal. cans.
Here are two of the R. roxburghii normalis X Mons. Tillier in 5 gal. pots. They are perfectly healthy even though almost every other rose in the garden has at least a little disease.
That is some beautiful foliage, Jim.
Does anyone have experience growing this species in Zone 4 or colder?
I would be interested in trying a few seeds if you have any left, Paul.
Impressive, Jim. Do you know the provenance of your roxburghii breeder((s?). I have two cultivars, both from southern China, and they are somewhat different in their disease resistance.
My roxburghii came from a wholesale nursery called B&B Nursery & Propagators in Willows, California. Its disease resistance is quite good, but not perfect. I would very much like to try hirtula and other cultivars, if I could find them.
I wanted to use roxburghii again this year, but the %$@* deer ate the buds off of it before they opened. The #&*! deer also got the majority of my hips this year. I just haven’t been able to keep them out of my garden since my dog died.
LOL (not really though). I’m having problems with squirrels. Anyone have a good squirrel deterrent?
Ever tried one of these.
The species has excellent roots: many straight and divergent, among the nicest I know. Species seedlings are very strong and not desease prone except a little PM. The hybrids with rugosa derivatives were closer to rox in all characters including smaller flower and little fertile.
It and first generation hybrids flowered the third year.
Species hips have a very strong scent.