So I got alot of cuttings growing from twenty seven varieties of miniatures that are mostly pre 1980s the rest being 1985 or so. I inherited these nameless miniatures from my mom. Most were sold by companies like Henery fields or Gurnesy under names like yellow rose, red rose pepermint stripes and ectra. Some of the roses where inherited by her from her mom. How would I go about finding a name if they even have a name. The only one I am sure I could find the name of is a light red that is pre 1985 that has no thorns. I figure those traits narrow the possiablities down quite a bit. And If they do not have a name how do I list their parentage so that others do not think I am keeping secrets?
I am diffentely using one of the roses from about 1985 that was found sold as just a miniature rose at a local nursery in a mix of radom miniatures (this rose probably has no name but I have always loved it. It is lilac in color , free flowering and has ruffled flowers a little too big to be a miniature with a mild fragrance. It sets hips well. It has a horriable plant habit however).
Oh by the way peppermint stripes is not the same as the one by spooner. This one was growing before this one was named.
Hi Adam, Can you make pictures of the blooms?
I think using unknown roses is exciting.
Currently, I’m trying to use Puerto Rico, the found musk-tea rose, because of its lovely fragrance. I haven’t had much luck…
But, I’m rooting a few unknowns as well, and trying to figure out their identities. One I picked is a hybrid tea or grandiflora from San Jose State, and it’s thornless but not a Davidson hybrid that I recognize.
Another is… well, I’m not sure. All I can say is that I saw some cuttings and I picked it out from the trash heap. They’re fully rooted, and I’m going to try to figure their identity out by next year if possible.
I have a grocery store mini that makes a very good garden rose. It’s pretty and fertile, but I haven’t used it this year. I will though…
I have a couple grocery store miniatures. I have found that at least the ones I have mildew so badly. Thats why I like my mothers roses because none of them mildew. Some do get some rust but it does not seem to effect them much. I have never seen black spot on them but that is justthe climate. I also have some roses from cuttings I pro cured from a cemetary this summer. And an Autumn Damask that started my interest in roses.
When they bloom I can take pictures of them. But I started the cutting only about a month ago. I supprised they seem to be doing alright and not dieing. I would think this time of year would be a bad one for taking cuttings.
One thing I think about unknown roses is sometimes they can be proven winners surviving in the worst conditions. I have seen some on abadoned home steads that have not recieved care in years. The only problem is not knowing their parentage. But the offspring do come from some interesting history and maybe that makes up for that.
To find the names of older mini roses, you need to find someone who loves minis in your part of the world.
Take a look at the American Rose Society website for Consulting Rosarians who live near you. Call one and explain what you’ve said here.
There is a large group of rose exhibitors who love minis and take them long distances to shows.
And they are the best place to start. But first you need to find the right person with the passion for minis (and minifloras, the slightly larger and more recent ones).
Just an observation on cuttings. I’ve had my best luck late in the season. Sometimes I trim off pieces that I know will get frozen in late Sept/Oct. Often I get roots on 5/5, which is the number I usually try at once in a cottage cheese box, under lights, with a plastic bag over the top. I believe the idea is that they’ve stored up losts of energy for winter. With some CVs they even bloom from several of the buds while rooting. Carefree Sunshine, Sunsprite and several minis do that.
Adam, if you are sure the minis are from the 1980s, there are a lot less to sort through than today. Do you know whether they came mail-order to your family? I think some nurseries sold only that way so you could narrow it down if you know they were bought at a nursery rather than mail-order. Old issues of Am Rose mag may help. They did feature some of the more popular ones in photos even back then.
If you have pics, one of may be able to ID them. Also, the Rosarian’s Corner forum may be able to ID them too. There are a lot of mini fanatics there.
Besides the few she got from her mom which would make those roses from 1970s or so. And two that were gotten from garden centers, one of these I am almost certain has no name. The majority came from mail order nurseries most likely Henery Fields or Gurneys. My mother really liked these nurseries and ordered almost exclusively from them.
I am glad to here that you get good results from cuttings late in the season. My track record with cutting is poor. But I have always tried in spring.
Adam,
Live in Richmond, Va. Several of us routinely root cuttings here at this time of year. We do the bottle method outside. I root the cuttings directly in the ground with the capped soda or juice bottle (bottom cut out) over it as a greenhouse. Some do it in a pot in a cold frame or a pot directly in the ground and root the cutting in the pot. Obviously, mine have to be dug up in the spring and potted then but I find no transplant shock if done in April and I have to worry less about watering them during the winter having them directly in the ground. This is an easy way and have had great success. Of course, here the ground stays relatively mild til January so roots are growing. In fact, one Christmas, my sister brought me three cuttings of Heritage from California when she visited and I put them in the ground Dec 23rd or thereabouts and can’t remember whether all three rooted or just 2! When I was in Laguna Hills, CA, many of the rosarians rooted their cuttings directly in the ground in early January when they did their pruning.
Hope this helps,
Jim