For lack of seeds from my own crosses while I rebuilt my breeding stock this season, I decided to ‘practice’ using open pollenated seeds instead. I raised small batches of seedlings from dozens of different roses and even found a few ‘keepers’ among them. It has been a wholly worthwhile experience, and I would like to do it again, albeit a litte more selectively.
I am looking for open pollenated seeds or hips from any of the following roses:
Annabelle
Doubloons
Geranium Red
Joycie
Livin’ Easy
Nozomi
Pinocchio
Sterling Silver
Sweet Chariot
I would be happy to share any resulting seedlings, and can pretty much guarentee that there would be some because the seeds will be processed using embryo culture. I would also be willing to culture your own seeds in exchange, in case you aren’t interested in these particular roses. Please contact me if you have seeds or hips that you would be willing to share.
Marina or Prominent, which are similar to Annabelle, might be easier to get. I grew Annabelle for two years. It mildewed badly, was higly thorny and had issues with blooms opening properly. I think it was better suited to greenhouse environments. Also, Marina and Prominent are more commonly sold. Marina is the healthiest and clearest of color of all three, in my opinion.
I will have literally bushels of OP seeds, but Joycie is the only one I have from your list. I think that some of the OP seeds I can offer you would be at least as interesting as the ones you’ve requested. I will compile a list.
George, probably the most interesting seedlings are from Julia Child, Baby Love and Lynnie although I’ve kept more than I should have from other roses too. None of these are spectacular but some look promising as breeders for specific traits. I’m away from home but when I get back I’ll post some photos.
Paul, while I have specific reasons for surveying seedlings of the roses I listed I’m really looking forward to seeing what you will recommend and, especially, why. Robert, I’ll be really interested to see your comments based on my off-list note, as well.
Jadae, thanks for mentioning Marina and Prominent. I’ve grown both of them in the past, actually. You obviously figured out it’s the genes from Zorina and Color Wonder that interest me.
I’m sure I have hips on Doubloons - - assuming the found rose “Mr. Nash” is Doubloons. I’ll also check Sweet Chariot for hips later today when I’m back at that garden. I’ll let you know if I find any. Unfor. I deadheaded many roses to promote bloom for a big family affair, and I can’t remember if I hit Sweet Chariot.
Jeff, Cass and Enrique, thanks for your offers of seeds. I’ll contact you directly to arrange particulars.
Enrique, I’ll be happy to send you back any seedlings (or extracted embryos) from your lost tag hip. I’ve got a hip each of Eddies Jewel, Easleas Golden Rambler, R. moyesii, Fashion, Golden Wings and Sericea on Persian Sunset. We can compare notes, or commiserate if they all turn out to be selfs.
Please do get in touch. Seed maturity is still something I’m experimenting with but there’s some reason to expect success with seeds from hips that are already set at this point if you let them hang on as long as possible without freezing. I pollenated up until August 15 this year, about six weeks longer than I have ever done in the past based on some preliminary work I did last season.
Don, I finally got a bit of color in the Sweet Chariot hips and will send to you. Just email an address. If you also would give me the proper mailing technique since I have never sent hips before. My thought is to leave them in the baggie that they are in and put in a CD type mailer. Is that good?
Joycie has only a couple of hips which no color at all. Should I send them? We are getting frost in the mornings now and I don’t know how much longer that I could safely keep them on the bush.