Anybody working with this species? I’m not sure if it is even available in the states, but sounds like it might be an interesting plant for the southwestern USA and Australian breeders. I don’t really know anything about it, personally.
I have tried to use this as a seed parent a few years ago. My clone is the exact one that Dr. Basye used to create the amphiploid. I used Cecil Brunner, Cotton Candy, R. foliolosa, Renae, Cologne, and Perfume Perfection on it…
Nothing.
I never used the pollen on anything.
I just find it a very hard rose to remove the anthers, so I may be just hurting it before pollination.
Thanks, Enrrique.
It would almost appear that you have cuttings from the token specimen in the USA.
From photos, it looks a tad more luxuriant that specimens I have seen photographed in Ethiopia. Do you feel that the Santa Clara specimen is the same as the below linked, as it might appear in a more amenable setting?
http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/653525/simien-mountains-rosa-abyssinica/
The rose can form a tree, to be sure. In its native habitat, though, it is a little more stout, methinks. I wonder if it is more fertile when in a cooler, drier location, or other climate-related situation…
This is the article from Dr. Basye. This is the exact clone that I have. It grows at my family’s house. I live elsewhere, but it’s still mine until I can buy my own home.
http://bulbnrose.x10.mx/Roses/breeding/basye/Amphidiploid/Amphidiploid.html
I haven’t seen other abyssinicas, so I don’t know if they’re vary in characteristics. It will take many years before it could be a tree rose.
I was lucky to get my plant
I rooted it over 10 years ago when I asked a gardener if I could take some cuttings from the ground. Out of several, just one rooted. (And there was many.)
Since then, I can’t root anymore… even air layering.
And I can’t get it to set hips with other pollen.
Enrique, have you worked with the probably amphidiploid?
I’m not sure if the abyssinica is montane or not… It might not be as heat tolerant as I presume. I assume it would be good for water-conservation, but the only thing I know about the countries where it is found is that they offer a variety of biomes.
I did get a chance to work with the amphiploid when I got the pollen 10 years ago. (Or more…)
I have one seedling of it with R. kordesii. I had several seedlings, and I gave many away to people I don’t remember anymore. But one of them is still in the garden. In fact, I uprooted it today and will put it in a pot. I was going to plant it at a different spot. But that spot may have some kind of disease problem and so I’m going to remove that soil first. So now, it’s in a bucket of water.
I also have a seedling of it with Abraham Darby, but it’s nearly dying… it’s never thrived (but it never had a chance anyway.) It has nice foliage, but it just never had a chance to thrive.
You’re find to have cuttings of the amphi x kordesii for next year if you can remember. It’s very disease free and sets a lot of hips (although I never worked with it afterwards.)
I think it could go to places if other people would breed with it. I hope people will-- once it has enough growth.
Enrique,
Is your amphi x kordesii a large shrub?
Rob
Well now, Enrique, that sounds like a wicked and intriguing monster! LOL. I’m certainly interested, if you want to make a swap.
A couple of questions:
Is the amphidiploid very nearly evergreen for you?
And the amphi x kord?
Is the AxK rudely healthy?
Just how lethal are the thorns?
And how much fence/garage/house does it want to eat? 
There are pictures on my helpmefind account… I can’t remember where it is if you can find it before I do.
My plant never got big, but it’s because it’s been perpetually trimmed by my mother. I don’t live with my family where all my “babies” are at now. But I imagine that it can get really big if you let it.
It is a once bloomer. The color is rugosa-pink. Not unpleasant to me, but not nice either.
It’s full of thorns.
It sets many hips, but not with many seeds inside as compared to kordesii or the amphiploid or some rugosas.
It is fragrant, but not very much so. The fragrance is clove-like, less so than a rugosa.
I uprooted yesterday, and going to plant it in a pot. I’ll be back at my mother’s in a few days. I think the new spot may not be good for it.
And the offer is still up, pretty much to anyone who will help me preserve this seedling from becoming extinct.
I think it could be a nice parent to those who have more persistence than me. It’s a different route from Basye’s Legacy too.
here’s my helpmyfind profile for this seedling–