I have been intrigued by ‘Darlow’s Enigma’, but I have not yet grown it (so I have no personal experience with it). Can someone clarify what characteristics distinguish it from a pure R. multiflora selection? In my state it is illegal to grow pure multiflora, although not hybrid ramblers with partial multiflora ancestry.
Can someone clarify distinguishing characteristics? Having only seen it in photographs, the flowers and stipules do look like multiflora.
Thanks!
Matt
I don’t have multiflora around here, so I can’t really compare. I would imagine the most important difference is that Darlow’s reblooms.
I really wish I could get Darlow’s Enigma seeds to germinate. I get maybe 1% germination. I have a few OP seedlings that are established and they show that it has potential. It is definitely above average in hardiness compared to polyantha roses, as well as being quite healthy.
I’ve grown Darlow’s Enigma for a few seasons now and it is about as healthy as it gets here in Southern California, growing in partial shade.
I don’t know R. multiflora except from pictures, so I can’t offer much in the way of comparison.
The below link intrigued me in terms of its ability to generate seedlings with coloring far different than white:
Joe
Your Darlow’s Enigma seeds may have larvae from the rose seed wasp Megastigmus aculeatus nigra which was introduced as a biological control of Rosa multiflora. We have its near relative megastigmus aculeatus in Alberta. I found larvae in every seed of some crosses. 
That’s a great question Matt. I’m not sure exactly, but compared to the more multiflora-based polys I have lots of and enjoy, it seems like ‘Darlow’s Enigma’ has something else besides R. multiflora in it too. I have no proof, but I wonder if it is a seedling of ‘Nastarana’ or somehow related to it. They seem kind of similar and both have wider nice petals than typical R. multiflora.