N/A R. blanda Volunteer?

[RikuHelin]

Is this a N/A variety of R blanda?

Two weeks ago an unknown volunteer? and an aggressive one cane wonder made its present known - can’t ignore - it showed up right in front in the south facing bay window plot right behind a low containing wall.

Today it is 42” high. No roses ever planted in spot. Closes to blanda is a tall lillian gibson in plot

Its in my seedling test plot. Beside my Finn Merveille x R fedtschenkonian cross.

I believe it to be a near perfect and stereotype example of a pure R blanda or my imagination of it. Never seen a N/A blanda except Pickering sample about 10-15 years ago l planted in back.

There is not one prickle on any of the external surfaces, from the top of the soil to the tip of the leaves and underneath. Nada nothing zero not even pretend prickles …

Leaves look modern with the high sheen (or freshness) and are “oval/ ovate”.

Cane borers likely to be ecstatic.

I have no N/A blanda intentionally planted in gardens except a Finnish R. blanda “Herttoniemi” in the back gardens. The pickering blanda in the back gardens died in first or second winter. I will leave this until spring says its alive then move it, if its not a runner.

If it turns out hardy, it maybe a Gift from natural forces making a mockery of me chasing tender climber crosses to get a showy hardy climber with no prickles.

Lykkefund and hybrida are in bed. Ok, l will take it as a divine sign to be interpreted not sarcasm.

Finn Blanda

[MidAtlas]

That is definitely a hybrid of some sort, and looks pretty modern to my eyes–not much like R. blanda at all, really.

[RikuHelin]

Txs for input and have to agree, the absolute total absence of prickles took me to stero-type blanda vision. But the leaf shape and lustre said no to blanda, not a fit (Finn has prickles).

I have strong doubts as to hardiness due to continuing growth into very late in my season.

Anyways hope wrong on hardiness.

Ps

Auli only other long shot. Its “95-99%” thornless candidate in garden. It doesn’t share leaf character (thick leaves - but only has what l call only proto prickles at just above bottom of cane bases to soil contact).

Going back to leaves, photo below suggest a better similarity than blanda … Auli thicker and consistent 5 leaves per “leaf” set.

An aggressive grower but unreliable bloomer due to winter damage.

It is a Piro Rautio hybrid gallica. HMF moving so wont find more info for a few days ( mind pretty thin from memory - parents missing).

Back in 2022 crossed it with fedst and 6910 plus 2 op noted as sent to stratification. Records don’t indicate success.

In 2024 did a cross of Auli x (Fedstchenkonian + laxa). No record or memory of success.

However there is/were a couple of auli tagged seedlings in same bed that lived. Found one, tag indicates planted 2023 and pretty small - 12”+/- but has Auli appearance.

No idea of history (crossing) as my record keeping broke down.

Auli Mother? today. Easy 5 feet - Gallica resemblance leaves

Auli Leaf Set

Mystery Rose Leaf Set

5-7, 7 Dominates

Need to check by digging down to see if Auli op seedling planted in spot. Hopefully find broken tag (hard plastic used) as spot is used to rake peat moss out bed. Found seedling same type of tag wth second flexible one beside it. PITA but well worth it if it confirms something useful.

Darn got sloppy with paper work and now it bites me as in helping to clear mysteries.

Anyways origin of rose will remain a mystery.

[MidAtlas]

I do think that it could easily be a hybrid of the species, but then it is pretty heavily modified by something else. I’ve heard of completely thornless blanda, but for the most part, the ones I have known have been quite prickly (usually with pretty weak prickles) lower on the stems and gradually became thornless or nearly so as they grew upward and branched. If that plant has more fully hardened wood somewhere, that should be just fine, but that late growth will probably be knocked back pretty hard by the cold. With that kind of robust growth, I would think that it must be getting fueled by a fair amount of older growth somewhere…

It couldn’t just be something like a really vigorous root sprout from ‘Lillian Gibson’, could it?

[RikuHelin]

Agreed well observed and good deduction.

Been smouldering in the background since l found the 2023 seedling this afternoon. Possible Mother plant has not yet run that l have notice but only 3-4 years old. 15 feet away.

I will know by evening tomorrow after the dig if runner from somewhere.

But to confess counterweight to that possibility, l have 5 Lillian’s planted (grafted), all planted same time. Cant remember cursing them for running. ~10-15 years old.

Only digging will add real information on it … l hope … as unusual enough traits to warrant effort.

[RikuHelin]

I AM going to have a bit of fun with this, but not being nasty, laughing all the way at myself … but the underlying points true imo.

First and foremost… RUNNER, good eye and sensible deduction based on what you saw and age info.

By the way found second Auli seedling this morning - a runt due to shade.

The leaves were wrong for Lillian (grafted also) and it was not Lillian.

So what was it?

Lets start with my Problem, diagnosed as Tunnel Vision.

Fixating on “bald canes” and only remembering Lillian (blanda) in plot and Auli as smooth canes, and ignoring leaves too much. And Lykkefund too young to be it.

Remembering Lillian grafted a plus on my score card.

Not even considering and checking a “Canadian hybridizer source” creation right beside Lillian a minus. Real Data you did not have.

It is an Isabelle Skinner” runner by Dr F L Skinner (own root plant).

Also known as “Victorian Memory” in States.

Gads need to go back and revisit my Western Canadian hybridizers creations, shamed myself. Missed Iceland lecture day on them by Margit due to illness is my excuse…

And Isabelle is ~ 80-90% hardy in my climate. Cane being left for a year to acquire more roots then canes cut down, ball dug out and transplanted.

Horizontal Cane (LHS) in front of Isabelle is Lillian and Lykkefund on RHS

[MidAtlas]

I’m glad that you were able to find the source! Because of blackspot, I’ve never had ‘Isabella Skinner’ (under either name) growing well enough to produce strong shoots or sucker, so it’s no wonder I couldn’t make the association. It looks fantastically healthy there.