Early Bloomers in Oregon

General Discussion
1

[attachment=1]Basye’s-Legacy-X-Rte-66-OP-.gif[/attachment][attachment=0]15F-13.gif[/attachment]

It’s been a warm winter and I have not pruned back the roses, so we have had blooms starting the first of April. Normally they start blooming the middle of May. They are all coming out at once now. Here in the Willamette Valley we have had rain and no snow, but Eastern Oregon is dry.

The first photo is 15F-13 Jelinek: crossed from Sunset Blvd (Harkness) X Indigo (Portland Rose from France FFAY 1830’s) This cross of Indigo, a Portland rose, has been healthy in my garden. It travels 3-4 ft away and then surfaces and starts new plants. This cross sprouted a year ago and shot up to 6 ft high in 2014 and did not bloom. This is the first bloom. I have two plants 6-7 ft high.

The second photo is the result of OP seeds from Basye’s Legacy X Rte 66, sent to me by Jackie Riekstins about 2 years ago. This cross is 3 ft high, a nicely shaped bush. Doing well.

I will have hardwood cuttings available of both in the fall for anyone who is interested.
15F-13.gif
Basye's-Legacy-X-Rte-66-OP-.gif

2

Once bloomers have ripped through their blooming season in record time here also. Many of my roses are well into their second flush if they are repeaters. And the late bloomers are well into their bloom cycles now. Will be interesting to see (if the heat continues) if there is a higher than usual amount of hips aborting, like last yr. My Rosa minutifolia has been blooming non-stop since Feb., and I have applied a lot of that pollen to what appears to be several receptive species. Maybe here in the Western states (southwest in general) it is time to adopt a regimen of hybridizing for drought and heat tolerance.

3

What took you so long, Jackie? LOL!

4

I think it has something to do with ‘I’m not getting any younger, so what else am I waiting for?’