Texas Gardening Adding Antique Roses

According to the Gardener’s Resource, old, heirloom, or antique roses are varieties that ‚”existed before 1867 when the first Hybrid Tea was introduced.” Other rose growers consider antique roses to be those grown before 1890 or a variety that has been in cultivation for 75 or more years.

Landscapers who have discovered antique roses are delighted with their easy maintenance requirements, the fragrance, the variety available, and the rose hips that many specimens provide.

Old roses can be propagated from plant cuttings or purchased from vendors, such as the Antique Rose Emporium, that specialize in old roses. There are many options available to the Texas landscaper including climbing roses, small bushes that grow 2-3 ft. tall and large bushes that can reach eights of 15 ft.

Many varieties of old roses became available for cultivation due to the efforts of Rose Rustlers. These dedicated individuals search old gardens, cemeteries, and roadsides for roses that are growing in harsh conditions with little care. Unlike cattle rustlers of the old west, rose rustlers do not steal samples from the plants they find. The Rose Rustler Etiquette requires that rustlers have permission before they clip a sample to propagate.

Characteristics of Antique Roses

Antique roses are usually somewhat paler than their hybrid cousins. Nor do they have the large, tight flowers one finds in newer varieties grown for cutting. Most old roses have an open petal face and come in white, pink, rose and mauve. Antique roses bloom in the spring with some having blooms until early summer. There are also antique rose varieties that have a second bloom cycle at the end of summer or early fall.

Antique varieties include Gallicas, the damasks, the albas, the centifolia and the moss. The rose hip is the fruit of the rose plant. After the flower has died, the hip is a round fruit remaining that is typically red or orange. Rose hips provide Vitamin C and can be used as an Herbal tea often mixed with hibiscus.

Caring for Your Antique Rose

Although antique roses tolerate poor soil and harsh growing conditions, they prefer to be pampered a bit with good, well drained soil. Roses require full sun and mulching will help keep moisture in the nearby soil.

Dr. Bill Welch, Professor and Extension Landscape Specialist at the Department of Horticultural Sciences and Texas Agricultural Extension Service, suggests six hours of sunlight in a location that provides air flow around the roses. The plant’s hole should be deep enough to accommodate the roots and place the plant at the same ground level as from its container.

Special rose fertilizers or liquid fish fertilizer work well for adding nutrients to the rose bed. Fertilize in early to mid-spring and follow with a fall treatment. Pruning roses is usually done in February particularly in North Texas. However, one can prune at any time without damaging the plant.

Antique roses are less prone to black spot or powdery mildew than other rose varieties. But, it can happen, especially in very damp conditions. It is usually not necessary to treat this fungal infection. Rather, you can strip off the yellowed leaves and dispose of them away from the plant. Aphids, thrips, grasshoppers, beetles, may attack antique roses. However these pests rarely cause lasting harm to a healthy rose plant. Treat with insecticidal soap at the first indication of an infestation.

Links:

Texas Rose Rustler Etiquette

Texas A&M Extension Service Roses