... growing and hybridizing all kinds of plants in zone 6b Maryland since the 1980's.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Rosa multiflora X rugosa

Usually has tendency to "balling", but when it's happy with the weather it has really beautiful old rose form to go along with its strong old rose fragrance. See the happy picture below the sad one.
















4 comments:

  1. Great to see you blogging Tom. The flowers on this are very full... just beautiful. Did you use one of the double multiflora forms with rugosa for this?

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  2. Thanks Simon!

    Yes the multiflora was a locally collected variant. It differed from the hundreds of other naturalized multifloras surrounding it, by having 20-30 petals, slightly longer bloomtime and slightly shorter style columns. Sadly I've lost it to Rose Rosette Disease, but I did get this great hybrid from it first.

    In addtion to the regular bloom season, this hybrid reblooms at the tips of the tall arching new canes. It's never set a single hip but the pollen seems to be functional. I've got a single seedling from 'Joycie' and hopefully will be able to harvest two more hips of the same cross soon. If I could get this hybrid chromosome-doubled, I think it could be a powerful breakthrough breeder. Even with its flaws (size, balling and infertility), I consider this hybrid to be one of most interesting I've turned out.

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  3. Tom,
    I like this plant too. The only issue seems to be the balling. Congratulation!

    cheers
    Bernhard

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  4. Sorry I'm so slow in responding - I don't get to work on this blog very often.
    But... Thanks Bernhard!

    I think that this hybrid is somewhat analogous to 'Max Graf' and should be able to generate an improved "kordesii" type if I can get it to double (chromosomes) or if it will make any unreduced pollen.

    First I guess I'd better get some cuttings rooted so that I don't risk losing the mother plant.

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