Souvenir de la Malmaison?

General Discussion
1

Hi there, if anybody can graciously give some more advice concerning one of the few roses I’m thinking about for Fall planting, I’d be very grateful. I had a dismal summer, my Mutabilis died from vole damage and I’ve killed some of my rugosa seedlings. However, my Elizabeth seedling is currently sending up it’s second bud and it’s sister is finally sending up new growth, so that’s good news, one of the only good things.

Since I’m basing most if not all of my rose purchases on the possibility of breeding (some not, but I’d like to build my stock) I was wondering if SDLM is a good parent, in either pollen or hips. I know Paul Barden has used it in the breeding of “Joyce Barden” but most of the other descendants on HMF are sports. I’ve heard conflicting reports on it’s health here in Maryland, some not so good and others praising, but that’s not very important,I think it just needs a good clone and I’m open to experiment; it’s my money. Anyway, I’m just wondering if it has average or above average fertility and if it passes on any redeeming qualities to seedlings if it does.

  • Max. E
2

I haven’t used it, but on Paul Barden’s site it’s listed as triploid, so it likely has limited seed fertility, also it is an extremely double rose, so many of it’s anthers are converted to extra petals, limiting its available pollen. Sounds challenging. One of the great roses though, so maybe worth it…

Link: www.rdrop.com/~paul/genecount.html

3

I was very lucky to get anything worthwhile I think. Expect its offspring to have both Mildew and Blackspot problems and to have very thin petal texture. Colors will be insipid for the most part. I quit using it long ago for these reasons. One decent seedling doesn’t make it a good parent.

As a garden specimen, it can be glorious if it likes your site, or it can be terrible. Most people file it under the latter, sadly. It has very poor Winter hardiness to boot.

Regards,

Paul