This rose arrived today, bare root. It's Big Momma, which is new and kind of hard to find. It only has 2 good roots, but one of them wraps completely around the whole rose. If it were a tree, I would cut the constricting root, douse it in rooting hormone, and cut the top of the tree back. Rose roots are different, though. Can this rose afford to have 1 of 2 roots severely pruned? Or should I send these pics to the company and ask for a replacement?










Hopefully you can see in the bottom pic that the constricting root turns straight down (to the left in the photo) after wrapping completely around.

I've never seen anything like that on a rose. I'd start by asking for a replacement. If you can't get one, then ask the people at Edmunds' what you're supposed to do about that root.

Maybe someone else here knows what to do. I certainly don't.

The receptionist at Edmunds sent me to someone there who asked the million dollar question--how many other roots are there? And when I said 1 other big root, she said just what I thought...that the plant would have a hard time making it if I cut off the constricting root. They are sending me another plant, no problem. I was so happy with their response that I almost ordered another 2 roses. Almost--but then i remembered the 2 other rose orders I have coming, and how I splurged on Dee's siberians and species iris. Better stop while I'm ahead.
Anyway, problem resolved.

Update on the strangling root:
I planted the rose after trying to unwind the root and placing a rock in the middle to keep it from winding back. I planted the replacement rose in another bed. i should have planted them next to one another if I really wanted to be scientific about it, I know...
This year, both are blooming. Both are undersized, but that's par for hybrid teas in my garden. I don't add more than a few inches of mulch year round, so there's quite a bit of winterkill on HT's.
We did have an awful summer last year, so everything I planted last spring is undersized. We'll see how it does this summer.

Be interested to hear how this progresses.

Cindi - well, at least they both survived!