I truly enjoy the foilage of Rugelda, the yellow rugosa hybrid-- which doesn’t really have rugosa foilage. But it is very nice, thick and shiny like those of holly leaves. It is similar to that of Orange Ruffels, another favorite of mine. I’m thinking of purchasing one at Heirloom, but would like any input about its’ offspring. Do the offspring have nicely thick and shiny leaves, rugosa-like, or none of the two? I know that a few of you are working with this rose, so any input about it is great. Can anyone confirm that the parentage is Arthur Bell x Robusta? I’m not too sure about Arthur Bell, as I recorded this info in my notes rather sloppy and undetailed.
Enrique,
I’ve been using Rugelda for two seasons now, and I would say that about 50% of its hybrid seedlings have very shiny leaves like Rugelda but not nearly as heavily veined , or rugose. The rugose characteristic seems to be inherited quantitatively, that is it can be more or less from seedling to seedling. I have one OP seedling from her that has leaves even more rugose than she. When crossed with repeat bloomers only about half of the seedlings bloom the first season. So far it looks like I am getting mostly yellow blooms from crosses to other yellows, and pink or red from crosses from those color parents.
I have a number of second year seedlings with first buds on them this year and am excited to see what they will be.
For the most part she produces seedlings that are vigorous, and a good percentage are very disease resistant, but still there are some that are prone to blackspot. She sets hips well and her pollen is well received by my HT’s and such.
I’ve put an order for it today at Heirlooms today, Thanks Randy. I love the foilage.
A year 2000 seedling of Rugelda X R-15 bloomed for the first time today. The petals are a good yellow with one having a slight touch of red on an edge. It had a row of good petals and a second row of small distorted petals. It had a good amount of pollen. The leaves were small and shiny. There was some blackspot. The bush is small.
R-15 is a large bush with a large number of early spring, very double, yellow blooms - no repeat. It was hybridized by Peter Harris from Golden Showers X Hazeldean. It is a tetraploid.
I am not totally happy with ‘Rugelda’. It seems that a fair number of the seedlings, though with shiney foliage, the foliage is somewhat streaked and not evenly green. Also, there is a fair amount of powdery mildew susceptibility. Perhaps I will need to cross it with some other pollens.
Jim
Funny, isn’t it? I have yet to bet a Rugelda seedling that got mildew. Some get blackspot, but no mildew yet.
It could be the differences in climate or choice of parents, I guess.
All in all, I still think that a high percentage of my seedlings from Rugelda have better than average disease resistance.
Randy