Honestly,
If anyone here can kindly do a “copy and paste” from some credible botanical reference on an internationally recognised definition of the term “miniature rose”, I will really appreciate this.
I would imagine it would be a very precise, and unambiguous definition.
George
You have a very good imagination – LOL.
“Credible Botanical Reference” . . . “Internationally Recognized Definition” NOT!
But I like the idea of changing them all to dwarf for sales purposes, as “dwarf” anything here also usually sells much better than full size, especially for citrus trees and the like. I went to my nursery looking specifically for a full size seedless tangerine tree and all they had was dwarf – and they said no one had ever requested full size before.
Kathy
lol…too right, Kathy!
This came from the ARS and Ralph Moore nursery. I don’t believe you will get more official than that.
We have talked much about miniature roses, but before considering the culture and growing needs of miniatures, we should explain what we mean by “miniature.” The number of kinds of present day miniatures has been greatly expanded through hybridizing. Plant habits, size, shape and texture of flowers, foliage, colors and flower forms are so diverse it is difficult to pin them down to an overall description. This situation affects cultural recommendations too, for we must try to include all possible factors which will contribute to your success with miniature roses.
The Classification Committee of the American Rose Society has worked out a revised description to cover this class which includes some of my recommendations. However, no classification or set of rules is entirely perfect and so this one, too, may be subject to future modifications. Here is the currently approved description of the miniature rose class:
"The miniature rose class is composed of clones derived from Rosa chinensis minima used in combination with other rose cultivars. Early varieties have retained the plant and floral traits of that species, but more recent kinds tend to vary in flower and plant size. A broad definition of the miniature class is: Low-growing plants, generally under I foot in height. Greater height, up to 18 inches is permissible if other characteristics are present. Stems are thin and wiry and have short internodes. Foliage is small and proportionate to a small flower size. Leaves have 3 to 5 leaflets averaging 1/2 inch wide and 3/4 inch long, or less. Flowers may be single or double and less than 11/2 inches in diameter. They are borne singly or in small terminal clusters not exceeding 10 buds and flowers. (It is realized that with special care and with some methods of propagation many miniature clones will grow larger with correspondingly larger flowers. Such grossness is a-typical and should be considered unfavorably in rose show competition since daintiness is a most important attribute of this class.)
“Climbing miniatures should retain the small size of flower, foliage and stem typical of the bush types.”
Gardeners, growers, and all who wish to exhibit in the various shows will find the above definition useful.
I doubt many places can accommodate full sized trees anymore. Pretty soon, most of SoCal is going to require micro mini dwarf to be able to grow anything!
thanks Patrick 
Let’s bring back that miniature definition to the class. Very few new miniature roses fit that definition, minis are getting TOO BIG - including mine! Then again, the minifloras are getting too big also…
…did I hear something about 40 is the new 20?!
…could this have something to do with that sight problem of the new 20-something gang? lol!
Jim Sproul