I have a ‘Midnight Blue’ x ‘Texas’ miniature seedling blooming and noticed that the canes are turning lavender/blue-ish in color. I’ve not seen canes this color since I’ve been working with seedlings. Has anyone else seen this? It’s a rather attractive color and I hope it is a permanent trait. The bud started out dark red with yellow at the base of the underside and the bloom is opening to a really nice darj orange/red color. Hope to get some pics to post.
I have some L83 seedlings that have redish purple stems. Also many of my R. foliolsa crosses have red or purple coloring to their stems. Can’t say I have seen purplish blue coloring but maybe I am speaking of the same color because color is subjective. When people talk about the redish blue color of R. glauca I do not see it to me it is redish grey or purplish grey.
But I do like the look of the none green stems. I have noticed that in some seedlings this coloring improves with age. I think this added dimension to roses is something we need to keep an eye on when making our selections. Especially when you are breeding subroses i.e. landscape or climbing for cold climates. I do not now if it is important in really warm climates someone else would have to answer that. But for me in winter a shrub that has color is beautiful even without leaves. The stem contrast nicely with the snow. And if it has these constrasting stems and has a pleasing shape it is lovely.
I think your stem coloring probably comes from Midnight Blue. I do not grow Midnight Blue. But I do have its close relative Night Owl and it does not have much coloring in the stems but it has enough to suggest that its in there hiding somewhere. The older stems develope more coloring.
I have noticed that plants that either there leaves start out a different color than green or in the fall are some form of red or bright yellow are usually the plants that have the stem colors that differ from the typical green.
I think in the future I will probably see more of this stem coloring popping up because I know if two seedling are otherwise equal I do lean towards likeing the plant that has the stem coloring or the fall foliage.
Yes, many of my seedlings have colorful wood. Legacy and Fedschenkoana give a lot of that. Midnight Blue does, too. I still have that 1-72-- X Midnight Blue climber going on three years old with very pretty purply wood that’s never flowered. Didn’t lose any foliage over our “-winter” either.
Thanks guys! I too have some L83 derivatives that have the reddish purple canes. I wasn’t sure if the cane coloration was common in modern hybrids. The coloring on this seedling is not something I’ve come across yet. Hopefully it’s a fixed trait and that I can get it in a picture.
I agree with that Adam. It’s very subjective.
I observed this weekend that the color is definitely lavender and can be rubbed off. Does that sound like anything anyone has observed?
Not with that particular breeding but the cane colors are often like “bloom on a grape” and appear to change color when rubbed off. Grey Pearl, Sterling Silver and Fedtschenkoana foliage colors change also when the “bloom” is rubbed off.
High Hopes is one of the most vivid I have seen to date.
Kim,
“Bloom on a grape”…perfect description.
Thanks Rob, what else would you call it? LOL!
“Mold on bread”?
Dead skin cells? “Ash”?
Like ashy elbows?? lol
Precisely.