 |
Growing Moss Roses
Growing moss roses is very much like growing any other kind of rose. But let’s begin with what makes this delightful rose unique –its “moss”. The flower bud is surrounded by a strange-looking mossy growth and if you rub your hand along this growth, you’ll get a fragrance resembling turpentine or oily fragrance. But that being said, this plant is a sport (unplanned, spontaneous change in the rose) of the Centifolia rose so we’re going to be growing it exactly as we would this rose. Growing moss roses means you have to put up with the very prickly canes if you want their very fragrant flowers. So do be careful pruning as this plant has been known to fight back. Pruning is done as for any other old shrub rose, in the early spring to clean out the deadwood before budding. Moss roses come in a wide variety of sizes – from miniatures right through to climbing roses of great arching habit. They are almost all single flowering plants although there are a few that are repeat bloomers.
Three of the most popular varieties ‘General Kleber’ (1856) was Napoleon's Egyptian army commander and this rose doesn’t look like him at all. This flower is clear pink, and flat with a button eye, the foliage soft and very beautiful. Not very prickly, the General will grow to over three feet tall. 'William Lobb' (1855) is also known as the ‘Old Velvet Moss’ is a very vigorous and spectacular 6-8 foot tall plant that produces huge arching canes covered in ripping thorns. The heavily-mossed buds open to rich crimson-purple blooms, which change to gray-mauve as they age. Very fragrant, these blooms are ideal for pot-pourri if you can harvest them without losing your skin. Grow it as a short climber. "Goethe" (1913) is unique. First it is the only single (five petals) rose, second it has a white eye, third it has unique pink thorns, wickedly profuse. The blooms are a rich magenta-pink with yellow stamens. Click here for free newsletter or to ask about growing moss roses
|
