There isn’t all that much information online about it online, and what info does exist is usually the subject of debate: whether or not it’s truly remontant, or simply a cultivar more prone to the occasional rebloom sometimes seen in rosa palustris. And whether or not it’s a true species rose or hybridized clone.
In doing my research I stumbled upon this comment on HMF from Dr. Malcolm Manners – a lifelong rosarian and Professor of Horticultural Science at Florida Southern College – stating that he discovered a genuinely continuous-blooming swamp rose in the wild, and that it is likely the very clone still being sold today. And that’s far more than enough to satisfy my credulity.
Whether or not its remontancy is heritable is my big question, but I can’t seem to find any discussion at all about breeding the clone. I’m also curious if the reblooming is climate-dependent or not. Additionally, what might happen when crossed with another diploid species that blooms on new growth?
Either way, I’m going to purchase it for my garden just for the bumblebee’s sake. Even though most (not all!) sources say that the swamp rose isn’t native to Oklahoma, there’s a decent chance that it once was before being extirpated due to habitat destruction. Or at least that’s what I’m going to tell myself to justify the purchase come spring!
I hope to post updates in the near and distant future. Anyone have any anecdotes in the meantime?
I believe that there are at least two clones of supposed repeat-blooming swamp rose on the market. I’ve had one (the so-called “everblooming swamp rose”) since 2015, and while it does have a very extended bloom time, I can’t say that it has been truly everblooming here in Maryland. It was discovered in Florida, so that might be the Manners version. It’s also very unusual in having a large, climbing growth habit and large, strong, hooked prickles. I received another rose mislabeled, and until recently, I only assumed that it was R. palustris “Scandens;” however, it flowered this fall as a small plant, but my “Scandens” has never done that. The “repeat-blooming swamp rose” is described as thornless, while the “everblooming swamp rose” is anything but.
That’s a very helpful observation. I originally discovered the “Repeating” swamp rose on Antique Rose Emporium’s website and then saw the “Everblooming” swamp rose on the Floridian Rose Petals Nursery’s website. I just assumed they were using different names for the same clone, but evidently not. The former even clarifies that it’s thornless.
The “repeating swamp rose” closely resembles “Scandens” aside from its remontancy, with its thornless canes and semi-double flowers. If I had to guess, I would say that it might be a sport of “Scandens,” which seems like it could be a hybrid with R. chinensis. If it is like “Scandens” in other ways, it might also tend not to sucker much if at all. The “everblooming swamp rose” bears single-petaled flowers, hips (I can’t say that “Scandens” does that much, if at all), and in addition to its long, thorny canes, it also suckers. My “everblooming swamp rose” did come from Rose Petals Nursery.
Some of Dr. Manners’ photos and descriptions make it difficult to interpret whether you’re looking at the reblooming variety or not. But in this picture he explicitly states that it’s his reblooming rose and you can see the characteristic recurve thorns to the right of the flower.
I don’t know if this makes things more or less confusing but Rose Petals Nursery sells both the “Everblooming Swamp Rose” and “Scandens” and they use the exact same photo for both thumbnails.
Circling back to the “Repeating Swamp Rose” at Antique Rose Emporium. I’m far too green of a rosarian to speak with absolute certainty on any subject, but their photo definitely suggests the possibility of a hybrid.
The rose has slightly doubled petals compared to the consistently five petaled flower of an American species rose, and it has normal looking sepals compared to the distinctively long and slender sepals of a true palustris:
It might be significant that the ARE description of the “repeating swamp rose” indicates that it flowers again in the fall (in addition to the spring flowering), implying that there is no flowering between. For me, the “everblooming swamp rose” has a long, early-mid-summer flowering without any flowers after that, and certainly not in the fall. It could be that in a climate with less well-defined seasons (Florida) it behaves differently. Clones of R. palustris from more typical, northern latitudes seem to have much weaker prickles and more moderate growth habits. Overall, I think that it seems to be a particularly variable North American species.
Rose Petals Nursery states that it was found in the Green Swamp in Florida which is where Dr. Manners found the reblooming clone. So it seems to me that the “Everblooming” variety is more likely than not Dr. Manners’ rose.
Although now that I check their “Scandens” listing they just say that it was found in Central Florida. And the Green Swamp is also located in Central Florida.
So I should probably take a step back because at this point I’m more confused than I was at the start.
You’re right about the variability. I read a few journal articles today which delved into the genetic diversity of R. palustris across its broad range from Florida all the way up to Canada. It’s also been known to spontaneously hybridize with sympatric roses in the wild. A truly fascinating plant!
I have whatever ARE sells. There has been no repeat, and I’ve never managed to bring a cross to maturity (albeit somewhat half-hearted attempts). It now resides in a shadier area, and does put on a nice spring display in 6b.
The same for me too Lee. I had mine in a pot for a few years and the greenhouse this summer for some of the black spot screening we’ve been doing
and haven’t had rebloom even in the gh into fall with light extension. Last week a student and I cut all the roses down and moved then into the cooler for the winter. I’m up in zone 4.
I noticed your photo is the one with the pink pistils. There are two circulating the market in zone 4/5 eastern Ontario, Canada. I have the one with the white pistils instead. Both are identical in characteristics, foliage, stipules and appearance except for the color variation in their pistils. First time I hear of a rebloming and everblooming variety. Mine produces large pink single flowers in clusters, suckers, has thorns/prickles and repeats throughout the season, flowering on both old and new wood. Puts out 6ft canes and sets an abundance of red prickly rounded hips in the fall. I wonder if crossing with a rugosa might be a possibility.
