Own Root Roses

Advantages of own root roses

• No suckers or under stock overtaking the rose.
• Better shaped plants due to the fact that the rose has more than the one or two leaders which a grafted rose has.
• More flowers due to the production of more leaders and therefore branches.
• Live longer when compared to a grafted rose. The plant is able to grow from multiple points, not just through one growing point (the grafted branch).
• More disease resistance. An own root rose has a shorter time which it dormant because it is not grafted to under stock which wants to go to sleep in winter. The longer growing period leads to more disease resistance.
• A better proportioned plant. I don’t know how many times I have walked past gardens to see a Mr Lincoln rose as high as the verandah and the flowers so high you are unable to see them. Remember grafting was brought about to produce roses in a more timely fashion in countries where weather conditions are less favourable. In Australia we have no need to add this extra vigour as we have warmer weather and high light conditions.  In fact most of the time it makes the rose quite unattractive, especially by the end of the season.
• No Virus. Virus infection often comes from the understock, so no understock- the less frequency of virus infection.