Ah, @Greene I should know how these minds work and perhaps rethink the precise language of my posts. My husband will get a laugh out of that one!

A spouse that likes to chop things down is also useful. The original multiflora rose bush got hacked to the ground and then run over by a lawn mower.

r. multiflora is not only dreaded because it is very invasive, but also because it is the primary host plant for the mite that carries rose rosette disease, which is a disaster to those growing roses where RRD is a problem. Roses with r. multiflora in their lineage are said to be the most susceptible, but any rose can get RRD. When a gardener sees signs of RRD on a rose in his/her garden, it means the rose must be removed ASAP before other roses in the garden are infected.

As far as I know, as of this date, there is no way of saving a rose once it is infected. You can do a Google search to find out more about RRD. It's not a problem west of the Rockies, so I haven't really studied up on it. Ask me about rose curculio weevils ... that I've studied because I have to deal with them in my garden.

I know of a gardener in the east who lost 40% of his roses this year. He went out into the woodlands around his home and eradicated as many wild multiflora roses as he could find and is in the process of replanting his rose garden. He knows he will lose some roses every year, but he just can't give up his beloved roses. Others who live in areas impacted by RRD, simply have stopped growing roses in their gardens.

It's an interesting rose and is included in the lineage of 12,187 roses on HMF.

Here's a link to the rose page on HMF. If you read the REFERENCES, you can learn more about the rose. If you view the PHOTOS you can see the bloom form, plant form and I think there are some photos of plant detail and can compare them to your rose.


http://www.helpmefind.com/rose...


There are several forms of r. multiflora listed on HMF, so you may have to look at more than one rose page to make your comparison.

Smiles,
Lyn

Deb......

Other than the fact that r. multiflora can be invasive and can become a huge plant, the good news is that you do not have to worry about RRD.

Smiles,
Lyn

Thanks Lyn for the very good information. And also thanks for first setting out what the initials are. I am so often at a loss when folks randomly say things like IUYU (making that up), not having any idea what they are meaning. I usually make up my own answer...

Me, too, Deb

Smiles,
Lyn

Our Rose Society watched a webinar sponsored by Star roses and a few universities who are studying Rose Rosette Disease. Sorry I don't have a link for it. RRD HAS appeared in western states in the last 50 years! It was bad there 40 years ago, then died out. Right now, the midwest and central plains states have the worst outbreaks. We also have the most multiflora rose, which was deliberately planted as a living fence.
If you have multiflora rose anywhere near your property, get rid of it!
I've removed around 60 roses so far from my yard. We still have wild multiflora popping up in areas where it's hard to mow. It's a constant chore to take it out, and then to dig out my prize roses who show RRD symptoms.

This has become a very informative thread ... Thank you so much RoseBlush1 and CindiKS for the great information about the Multiflora Rose and RDD!!

No doubt, this disease thing puts this invasive exotic in a category of being more dangerous than just displacing natives, like a "normal" exotic invasive plant, IMVHO.

Thanks everyone, for sharing this info, especially Lyn!

One thing made me curious/confused though, if MFR is a parent of so many other roses, do these 'kids' not also have the same disease risk? ("It's an interesting rose and is included in the lineage of 12,187 roses on HMF.")

What is a good replacement? Lady Banks? That probably is not as good for a thicket since it's thornless. I've always wanted to have stuff like that (a thicket, patch of woods, meadow) but have always lived in suburban neighborhoods in OH and "in town" in AL. So just asking in general.

In the webinar, the Star roses rep said they are researching roses that have natural immunity or susceptibility to RRD. I don't know if multiflora children are any more susceptible, but roses grafted onto multiflora rootstock have not had any more issues than the others in my yard.

I think the way Star is heading is to develop a new line of roses so we can all buy the new roses and give up on all our old ones.
I would rather someone find a predator for the mite, or antiviral medicine, but sometimes the cure is worse than the problem. RRD was supposed to be a cure for multiflora, to kill the roses off. The roses were initially planted as a fence. Lots of horrible unintended consequences in this story.

Someone has written a web book about RRD ..

http://www.rosegeek.com/index....

purpleinopp said: just displacing natives,

I had not known of the existence of RRD until it reading of it in this thread. After reading the web book linked to Janet's post above, I'm horrified! I will be looking very closely at all roses for signs of RRD from now on. My thanks to all who brought this rose disease to my attention.

CindiKS ... you may be right about RRD being found west of the Rockies. I only know of one instance where it was found in California. It actually was found in the county I live in at a much higher elevation than mine in a stand of R. pisocarpa, which is native to this county, several decades ago. If there are other instances of RRD being found, I just haven't read or heard about them. I am sorry you have had to dig up so many of your prized roses. Certainly you know more about RRD than I do.

Re: roses grafted to multiflora ... I asked a rose breeder who has much more knowledge about all things roses than I do that very question last week. He said that if the root stock was properly prepared .. ie. properly de-eyed so that it will not sucker ... the root stock will not make the rose grafted to it more susceptible to RRD. However ... as Ralph Moore used to say, "Roses can't read", so sometimes they break the rules. Even if you had a well-prepared rose budded to multiflora root stock, I would keep an eye out for suckers and remove them ASAP, if I lived in an area where RRD was a problem.

purpleinopp

I can only provide very general information about RRD because I truly have not studied up on it because at this time it does not impact the area where I am gardening.

I've read that roses with r multiflora in their linage may be more susceptible to RRD, but I haven't really studied the research. r multiflora brought many fine plant characteristics into the rose gene pool. That's why so many roses have r multiflora in their lineage.

As for a replacement rose, I'd suggest you ask that question on the Rose Forum. There are people there who have a broader and deeper experience of roses who read and post on that forum than I do and may be able to give you much better suggestions than I could ever possibly provide.

Smiles,
Lyn

I found this about the Rose Rosette Disease.

http://www.missouribotanicalga...

, tantefrancine .

Smiles,
Lyn

Thank you Lyn! I have something else about the RRD (Rose Rosette Disease)- There is going to be a meeting at the United States National Arboretum in March in Washington, DC

Rose Rosette Disease-an Update
March 25, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
U.S. National Arboretum Auditorium

Have you stopped growing roses because you worry about using pesticides? Would you like recommendations for roses that will thrive without heavy chemical use? Dr. Mark Windham, a leading expert on Rose Rosette Disease, will discuss his research findings and give rose lovers a chance to have their favorite flower make a stunning second debut in their garden. Rose Rosette Disease (RRD) has been identified as one of biggest threats to roses, so this is a can't miss talk for any grower. This talk is cosponsored by the American Rose Society. Fee: $12 (FONA $10) Registration Required

@tantefrancine ...

What are Dr. Dr. Mark Windham's credentials ? Who is he associeated with ?

There are a lot of studies being done on rose rosette disease funded by government grants as part of the government's initiative NATIONAL CLEAN PLANT NETWORK.

http://nationalcleanplantnetwo...

Here's the link for NCPN/roses
http://ucanr.edu/blogs/ncpnros...

Intense research is also being done in private industry.

I have not seen Dr. Mark Windham's name mentioned in any of the published literature on RRD.

I assume it would be this Mark Windham. He's worked on daylily diseases also hence I recognize the name:

Bio
https://ag.tennessee.edu/EPP/P...

Article on rose rosette:
http://counties.agrilife.org/w...
"Mark and Alan Windham are professors of ornamental pathology. Between the two of them, they have nearly 60 years of ornamental pathology experience and yes, they are brothers. Both brothers have been growing roses in their yards for more than 20 years. Mark is a past president of the Holston Rose Society in Knoxville, TN. Frank Hale is a professor of horticultural crop entomology. He has been working in the area of ornamental entomology for 25 years and has grown roses for 15 years. All three authors are in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee. James (Jim) Amrine, Jr. is a professor emeritus at the Division of Plant and Soil Sciences (Entomology) at the West Virginia University."

Sue ... I am so glad you recognized the name.