I read your post on the Rose Propagation/Exchange Forum and am a bit confused. Are you trying to salvage a seed pod, or now attempting to root a cutting that bears a seed pod?

Self-pollinating or cross-pollinating a sport is TOTALLY counter-productive if your goal is to preserve/replicate that sport simply by planting the seeds that result from the pollination.

It sounds as tho your 'sport' was the only anomalous blooms on a single cane that was bearing flowers typical of the variety. If that is correct, chances are your 'sport' would not have proven to be stable, even if you had attempted to propagate it vegetatively.

However: You asked for 'knowledgable propagators' to respond. I am not one of those.

Thanks for replying Jaxondel.

Yes, I realized later that letting the hip self-pollinate would have been most likely to reproduce the sport in a seedling. Being human, I didn't consider self-pollination. LOL, we can't do that! I thought it needed a Daddy to make seeds. Obviously, I'm new at this. Like a rose-breeding virgin.

Rooting the cutting is my main concern, and my best hope of saving the sport.

The cutting has little buds, it's just beginning to break dormancy.

I'm heading out to purchase some Root Tone.

-Gala

Even if the sport self polinated, it's very unlikely any seeds would produce anything close to the sport. Seeds contain the mixed up DNA of every other rose that was a part of hybridizing it. Any offspring can take on the characteristics of any or all of the roses as far back as the original species rose, including that of all the roses used as either the male or female. That could be hundreds or thousands, or hundreds of thousands of crosses either planned or natural. The only way to get the sport to repeat is by budding or rooting a cutting. Then, as Jaxondel said it's more than likely the sport would be unstable and revert back to the original. This could occur immediately or within a few years.
Good luck with your cutting.

Don't know how knowledgeable I am, but I have rooted quite a few roses. Do a search of "baggie method". There are some good explanations out there on how to root the cutting in a gallon zip-lock bag with half sand and half peat moss that you mix together, wet, then squeeze all of the excess moisture out of the mixture. Nick the cutting, apply root tone, stick in the peat/sand mixture, seal the baggie, and watch for roots. Be sure to follow the directions on opening the bag slowly as to acclimate the newly rooted cutting to the lack of moisture.
The baggie method worked really well for me.
I wouldn't have advised that you try to root a cutting this time of year, it's got a way higher success rate if you take the cuttings in the summer - but the accidental pruning means that this is your only option.
Good luck, but don't be disappointed if it doesn't take - I've had almost zero success when trying to root things during the winter.

Oh, ye of little faith...

Karl: apparently it's possible that the seeds will be viable, 3 months after being pollinated. Connie asked me if there is any color at all on the hip, and to my delight, there is a slight red blush! I know the odds are slim, but I would like to give this rose and its potential off-spring the best chance of survival. Quite a way to learn, to have to hit the ground running.

CWeathersby: I appreciate your suggestions re: the baggie method. I took your advice and googled it. that's I should have known to save the lemon verbena cuttings that sprouted leaves that shriveled when I took the bag off too abruptly.

Argh, there are so many rose rose methods and no way to know which one will work for my cutting!

-G

Regarding viable seeds. Below is a website with some instructions. Every site I've read has similar instructions

Here is a link that might be useful: roses from seed

What a great link karl!! I love it. I wish G all the best in her quest to propagate that sport! What a beauty it is! And doesn't she get to name it if it is new and fresh? Oh the fun!!

Not sure how that whole process goes, but I'd be up for it!!

Suzi

You do realize that the seeds of that sport cane will not reproduce the sport, right? The seedlings will be just as widely varied as seeds taken from any other part of the plant. With sports, the sexual reproduction tissue layer rarely carries any properties that would translate into the seedlings that the original plant didn't possess also. Thats just the way sports usually work.

I know little about genetics, but the seeds are not my concern right now. I will definitely check out this link later, Karl, thanks.

Right now, my great concern is propagating this cutting successfully, and I have NO experience, so I am cramming to try to figure out the system, technique that will bring the greatest likelihood of success. Probably not the baggie method. I'm looking at misting houses, bins, grow lights, temp and humidity control, that sort of thing. I was hoping someone here would save me lots of time and say: I've had 99% success with this technique, here's the link. Or there is a study comparing rooting techniques and it says.... or even, I have rooted Autumn Sunset 10 times and have had a whatever percent success rate, it's an easy one to root, yknow, reliable scientific, factual information. Anyway, I'm working on it, but it's a goin too slow.

As it turns out, there is a fellow called George Mander who says he has 99% - 100% success with his rooting technique. He calls it the "Primitive Technique."

Is there anyone out there who is using his technique or something that they think is just as good or better?

Thanks, everyone. But this is a one of a kind cutting, I don't want to leave a lot to chance. Let's talk rose seed later, for now it's sleeping in the butter compartment of the fridge. For now, Let's talk rooting techniques with the highest likelihood of success!

Follow George's instructions for the greatest likelihood of success. George knows what he is doing.

Gala, from the description you gave on the propagation forum, that the different bloom was on the same cane as a regular bloom, i don't think you have a sport but a chimera. Dr. Malcolm Manners which also posts here, has a webpage that describes the differences. My understanding is that a sport is a mutation of a plants dna, whereas a chimera is a combination of the mutation and normal dna but in seperate cells, like the creature in mythology that is half man and half goat.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Manners definition of sports and chimeras

Len, that's a very interesting bit on sports, and I thank you for bringing it to our attention. I've seen a picture of a chimera in which the bloom was half like one rose and half like another. But that's not how this bloom is, this bloom is all symmetrical.

When a bush sports, all the flowers on the cane don't necessarily all change at once, the mutation happens in just one cell, first, then as the bush grows it spreads from cell to cell. It takes as long as it takes that cell to expand. The sport (I'm just going to call it a sport because it was different from the other flowers on the bush, and we can worry about what it really is later) was the last flower on the lateral. The bloom that was like the usual AS bloom, bloomed later, but it was closer to the cane. So therefore, we don't know much until the lateral grows out more, PAST the sport.

I'll worry about the DNA later, at this point I just want my baby to live. Live, baby, LIVE!

Does anyone know Markiz37 (PA)? He started a thread on Rose Prop forum called My setup for rooting cuttings (photos), but the photos have been moved or deleted. If anyone knows him, I'd love to talk to him. Would you ask him to send me an email?

I read also that Mgleason was using a similar method to root cuttings. I'd love to talk with him also.

DesertDance, thank-you for your kind, encouraging words!

Me and my twig appreciate all good energy sent our way.

-Gala