Hello!

I collected some damask rose seeds last fall and grew some seedlings from them this past spring. Some questions:

1. Is it normal for roses not to have thorns when they are young? Or these roses are genetically thornless? I'm pretty sure their mother plants had thorns.

2. How long will it take for the roses to flower?

3. Is it ok to leave them outside for the first winter or should I bring them in? I'm in the DC Metro Area.

4. Any other advice to care for them?

Here are some images of them...I took them yesterday and now I just found the young leaves all gone this morning! I think we have a deer problem...

Would appreciate any advice!

Thank you!!

I have no advice, but lots of sympathy about the loss of your leaves. If you have a dog,
give him/her a good brushing and put the hair in a sack with a roof (a disused bird feeder would probably work) and hang it near the little roses. See if that scares the deer. I used to just throw the hair from my GSD onto the plants (he shed so much that I always had plenty).

More knowledgeable rosarians than I will answer your primary questions.
David

The photos you posted are not of rose bushes.

I don't know what those are but they are not roses. Where did you get your seeds?

Oh no...yea I've been having doubt if they are actually roses..I got the seeds from an unkempt public garden. The plant was labeled damask rose I collected the rotting hips still on the bush. Cold stratified them!

From multiple google image searches of apple seedlings..I think I might have gotten them mixed up with my apple seeds....

Thank you David, Porkpal and Seil for all for your responses I really appreciate it!