I planted my Felix today. The place I was going to plant him was moved to a place he can get much bigger. I am getting conflicting reports of the length the canes can get from 8 feet to 16 feet. We will see. Hope it realy reblooms as much as advertised.

annececilia,

You are the second person to mention Hortico's instructions re a very short soak for multiflora. It was mentioned before that it really didn't make sense to some others here. I always get multiflora and soak them just like any other bare root, from days up to a week usually and have never had a problem. Just thought I would mention it as it is a shame to have to hurry if it is not necessary.

As to Felix I got a tiny one last year locally. It spent the first season getting settled and did not bloom. However it came through winter very well although I did protect it as it was so small and it's first year.

Both,
I have seen conflicting reports as well. From what we have heard up here in Canada Felix will make a 3 to 4' shrub in very cold areas. With partial cane survival it will reach 8'. In your Z5 location I would expect you will see it get much taller than that. I have seen one photo from a Z5 location where it was easily 14-16' and amazing.

Congrats to both of you in getting your hands on one. Although we don't know yet if Felix will be unique enough to make it stand apart from say John Cabot or other similar canadian climbers at least you have one, and that may turn out to be fortunate as it looks like the Artist Program has collapsed and these first 2 intro's may be all there is.

FWIW I noticed that mine prefered it a little on drier side. When I watered as I normally would for a first year smallish baby he pouted until I backed off on the water.

Cathy

Thank you, Cathy, for that additional information about Felix Leclerc, esp. the tip about watering. I'd hate to lose him after all this waiting, you know? I'm happy to be one of those testing this rose out and seeing what he can do - I don't care if he ends up with 8' canes or 14' canes - anything over 4' will be exciting!

Congrats ... there was picture of a "hugely tall" one on a barn wall at the cornhill nursery site ... can't remember how old it was but MG experience suggests the explorers take quite awhile to obtain height ... respectable getting 4 feet in 3 years without starting over is something to get excited about here. Mine will be coming out of it's first winter unprotected so I'll know soon 4 weeks plus whether it is a start over till it toughens up rose.

John Cabot has finally become respectable in the last three years at about 5 to 6 feet for the longest canes and CSH finally has stopped going to the ground each spring and now starts at about 4 but doesn't get much taller for me.

Yes, that picture at Cornhill's site had me drooling, but I don't really expect that kind of growth - we'll see in the years to come though, right? My John Cabot has 6 or 7' canes, but I don't use him as a climber - he makes a very nice mounding shrub. Capt.SamH is 5.5 ft. tall on a trellis and I think that's about his limit. I do need to try another Quadra - mine is only about 2.5 ft. tall after a couple of years in a very nice spot. I think this one's a dud! In fact, I'm thinking of uprooting Q and putting FL in it's place on that particular trellis...at least that's one of my options.

The reason I got the rose is the reports of rebloom esp from HMF. They rarely say things rebloom well only occasional rebloom-even for Carefree Beauty. Anyway I have seen the pics on CornHill Nursery site and decided to email them and ask how old that bush was in 2002. Also what zone are they does anyone know? Could't find a good zone map of Canada. Thanks for the watering tip and info on height. Amy

I got this one last year as a small plant, had done well and gave a few blooms. Will be interesting how it holds up to my cold zone 3 winters ... not many things do, lol.

Terry