As hybridisers of roses I think we all inevitably have blind spots when we breed roses, so I think it would be interesting to hear what other hybridisers look for when hybridising. Is it specific colours, flower size, root growth, leaf size, flower sprays, size etc? Currently I’m hybridising for the largest amount of flower sprays (like moschata varieties), everything else I see as a bonus.
This may be controversial, but what is your opinion on using invasive roses for hybridising? In ZA canina and rubiginosa are classified as invasive, as they were brought with settlers into some of the colder regions where stratification could take place. I think it’s a shame that they are effectively unobtainable as they have very interesting genetics and traits.
The reason I ask about invasive species is because I have seen some threads where people have removed plants of multiflora descent (like seedlings of Trier) as they were too vigorous and set too many hips where it was judged that the plants could become invasive.
I largely just select for uncommon traits. Like of the moderns I found the “best” low thorn deep coloured performed types because I want low thorn, colour, fragrance. Cross those with hulthemia and mini’s…as the goal for the moderns is fragrant mini hulthemia in strong modern colours for breeding with various other species/ogr lines of the once flowering types…just space saving because a lot of them take years to flower.
I have a number of rubiginosa hybrids (largely from Lord Penzance x Modern) trying to get the foliage fragrance…do not recommend breeding with thorny moderns it gets nasty. Kind of like the older orange rose lines from Alexander were every cane is super prickled but also flexible so you can very easily get snagged on multiple canes very quickly. Kind of surprisingly a lot of these obvious hybrids with moderns don’t set many hips but may be an age thing or something that sorts itself out in the future…the already weird canina type meiosis probably being screwed with creating some fertility issues. There’s some seed from their pollen germinating at the moment so will be interesting to see if the canina type meiosis has broken down like in the Magnifica to Applejack line of things
If you use canina roses as mother plants then you never break the meosis. However if you use it as a pollen parent it breaks it in one generation. However they only transfer a very small part of themselves. So sadly the only way to use them for long term projects is as a pollen parent… However it’s very very slow and a lot of the traits you want from them are locked on the maternal side…
I understand that it’s not understood. But consistently what I have previously said is the outcome. However with roses I also like to dream of what can happen. Then I realise I lack the space to waste on this level of maybe when all of it is all ready a maybe. Good luck!
Our goals of course will differ, but working with rugosas, I look for a bit of “poetry”. An ambiguous hard to define element. Something that seems lavish, or elegant, romantic, generous, or nostalgic. So what might this look like? Large leaves always seem more generous to me than smaller ones. I prefer them to bend under their own weight as opposed to being held out quite stiffly. Though I am flexible on this point, I prefer darker colored leaves especially when the flowers are of a lighter color. I like to see an arching growth that would carelessly spill over the edge of the bed. Though I would like to have the novelty of unusual colors in my rugosa seedlings (and I am trying for this) it is a secondary goal. I am looking for shapely flowers of good quality (this is the hard part) and a strong fragrance. My preferences on fragrances run toward that of damask and fruity ones like citrus, peaches and apricots, and a blending of these scents with the classic clove of the rugosas.
Here is where I’m aiming when crossing and selecting seedlings:
Strong growth above and below ground. *Without roots, ya got nuthin!*
Repeat-flowering, hopefully profusely and/or continuously. This is especially important for plants that may be subject to winter-kill of canes annually, or eating by varmints. Growth and performance must satisfy this need.
Lush healthy foliage that resists disease well. Strong, branching growth habit, with flowers well-supported and displayed. Shrubby-types preferred in all sizes. A symmetry and grace should be apparent throughout the plant.
Eye-catching flowers come in many colours and forms. Pink is my least favourite colour in roses, so “anything other than” catches my eye, but pink can look just right…sometimes. I’m fond of the scrolled HT bud, but it’s not the only shape. The size of the flower/cluster should be in balance with both foliage and plant. Charming flowers eagerly-sought and FRAGRANCE, for the love of all things holy! We see the flower, we touch the flower, we smell the flower, and I don’t like to be disappointed.
I am using a modest stable of new and old shrubs, a few HT’s, Floribundas, & miniatures, and a couple climbers & ramblers, to find these kinds of plants in their offspring. All seedlings are grown on their own roots, and must prosper, or be discarded.