Now that you’ve narrowed the list of roses you want to add to your garden, here are some things to consider before you start shopping:
- Bareroot or container-grown?
- Budded or own root?
- Patented or non-patented?
- What grade should I choose?
- Where should I buy?
Each year, Americans purchase nearly 35 million rose bushes, so understanding your options helps you make a smart choice.
Bareroot vs. Container Roses
Bareroot roses are dormant plants shipped without soil. Though they may look unimpressive, they are harvested when rich in stored energy and establish well when planted early in the season. They are lighter, easier to plant, and less expensive.
Container roses offer instant gratification, often blooming at purchase, but cost more and may experience transplant shock. Bareroot roses require patience but usually transition more smoothly into the garden.
Budded vs. Own-Root Roses
Budded roses are grafted onto vigorous rootstock and are typically larger and bloom in their first year. However, severe cold can kill the grafted variety, and aggressive rootstock may overtake it.
Own-root roses are grown from cuttings and are genetically identical to the parent plant. They start smaller and may take a few years to mature, but often live longer, tolerate cold better, and resprout true-to-type if damaged.
Once established, both types generally perform equally well.
Patented vs. Non-Patented Roses
Plant patents protect new varieties for 17 years, allowing hybridizers to collect royalties that fund breeding and disease control. Patented roses usually cost more but are not necessarily better than older varieties.
When a patent expires, the rose remains unchanged—only the price drops. Many excellent, affordable roses are non-patented.
Rose Grades
Bareroot roses are graded according to the quality of their growth. Grades also designate the near-future size and productivity of the rose. Specifications for hybrid tea, tea, grandiflora, rugosa hybrids, hybrid perpetuals, moss and climbing roses are:
Grade #1 – must have at least three strong canes 5/16 inch in caliper (diameter) or greater, branched not higher than 3 inches from the bud union.
Grade #1 1/2 – must have at least two strong canes of 5/16 inch or greater, branched not higher than 3 inches from the bud union.
Grade #2 – must have at least one strong cane with a caliper of 5/16 inch or greater and at least one other cane of 1/4 inch.
For all grades, all canes must be sufficiently hardened-off throughout and have a length before harvest of at least 16 inches. The specifications for polyantha, shrub, landscape, and low growing floribundas are the same as above except for 1/4 inch being the minimum caliper for a strong cane. The standards also specify that all grades should have a well-developed root system and have proportionate weight and caliper according to grade and variety.
Choosing a Healthy Bareroot Rose
If you are purchasing your roses at a nursery or garden center, you’ll have the opportunity to inspect the plant before you buy. True bareroot roses at nurseries are set in damp peat moss or similar material that retain moisture so that you can remove them and inspect the entire plant. Check the canes first and ensure that they are plump with no wrinkles, have good green color with creamy white pith; no dried or discolored buds. The root system should be well developed, sturdy, and undamaged; not dry or mushy. The entire plant should be free from damage and obvious signs of disease.
When buying packaged roses, you can’t inspect roots, but you can check the canes, so the recommendations above apply. You can also feel the weight of the container; if the plant is held in moist sawdust or other similar material, it will weigh less if it is dry than if it is moist, so a heavier container is probably a better buy. Some suppliers apply a thin coat of paraffin on the canes to reduce moisture loss and enable them to keep the plants out of the ground and in transit for longer periods of time. Don’t buy waxed roses. They may look nice, but your plant has to grow through that wax, and it may slow the development of bud eyes.
Buy your bareroot roses early in the season before the plants leaf out. You want to conserve their energy to do their leafing out in your garden once they are in the ground.
Buying Mail Order vs. Local
Mail-order nurseries offer the widest selection, including new and rare varieties, often shipped directly from the grower. Reputable sellers guarantee their plants and provide expert advice.
Local nurseries let you inspect plants before buying and support local business, but selection may be limited. Be cautious of bargain roses, which may sacrifice quality or disease control.
Final Thought
Roses are resilient plants. If you choose a healthy rose, plant it well, and give it sun and water, it will reward you—sometimes spectacularly—for years to come.
By Nanette Londeree, Master Rosarian