See the Dr. Huey page at HelpMeFind to be sure of your ID, but it sounds like the unwelcome Doctor. The only question is the shoots coming the side of the bud union. Usually these are of the grafted scion variety.

If any of the scion variety is blooming, you can save it by ripping off all the Dr. Huey shoots at the point of attachment-- don't prune them.

If you don't want grafted plants, many small nurseries sell own-roots, but they are smaller plants. Some of the plants at the garden center are own-root, including some J & P hybrid teas as well as various landscape roses. The graft is normally visible in potted plants.

In zone 6, you shouldn't be able to see the bud union because it should be buried underground. If it wasn't, then it is quite likely that the Veteran's Honor part died over the winter. IME, it's quite rare to get Dr. Huey on a rose with a viable scion.

The own-root nurseries tend to send something that ranges from very small to ridiculously small. In my part of the world, they often have vigor problems, also, so I don't really consider that a solution.

Your rose was not overtaken by Dr. Huey. Dr. Huey was the original rootstock that your rose was grafted to, and sometimes, when the rose dies, Dr. Huey comes up instead. I suspect this is what happened in your case.

If you are buying a rose locally, it is most likely grafted onto Dr. Huey rootstock. The tag will tell you if it is own root (usually only rugosas are sold potted own root in this part of the forest). If it isn't clear, ask the garden center manager. If they don't know (or won't tell you), walk away.

If you don't want grafted on Dr. Huey, you have to order them, and you can get own root or grafted on R. multiflora rootstock (less likely to sucker).

Upon more careful examination today, it appears that everything growing is from the under the bud union therefore I belive my Veteran's honor has gone bye bye and the whole thing will have to get replaced. I've been suckered - no pun and...What a bunch of Huey...I'm sure that phrase has been worn out too.

As far as the bud union being burried under ground in zone 6...I dunno I just followed the planting instructions that came with the plant and from everything I could gather in books the union was to be above ground...maybe I didn't look close enough.

I just planted a Crimson Bouquet Grandiflora not too long ago also purchased from Lowes...hope the same thing doesn't happen with that one. Do I need to dig it up and make sure the bud union is under ground?

Thanks for everyone's responses.

mona2, the "books" will say plant with the top of the graft union level with the top of the soil. No dice. Might be OK for southern and southwestern areas, not here. It needs to be buried, even here in coastal NJ.

Even here in SoCal, the last few budded roses we bought, we buried the bud union, in hopes they'd take off on their own.

Some do. Some don't.
Isn't Veteran's Honor being offered on its own roots, now?

Jeri

You know reading about this Dr. Huey guy/rose, it's actually beginning to grow on me and now I don't view it as such a pest... and since I don't waste anything in my garden I think I have the perfect spot to plant this guy where it will be able to climb and probably brighten up a rather drab spot in my garden. In my front more formal garden I will replace it with another Crimson Bouquet where I am trying to achieve symmetry with another one planted across from a blue spruce shrub.

This is what I love about gardening, the surprises, and the continual ways it gives one joy. You live and learn and try something different next time. I love this forum too by the way, so many helpful folks here.

It's going to be another beautiful weekend.

Happy gardening everyone!

I've known people who grew Huey, and it's sometimes strange to remember that, in its day, it was highly regarded.

I actually rather like those Merlot Wine blooms myself.
If you ever chance to visit Las Vegas in April, be sure to drive through the older neighborhoods, where hundreds of Dr. Huey's fountain and tumble through the little gardens.

The only real bone I have to pick with the Doctor is that he rusts badly, here in CA, unless sprayed.
Perhaps he won't do that for you.

Some of the other rootstocks that have been used can be pretty lovely, too.
If 'De la Grifferaie' was remontant, EVERYONE would want it.
Manetti is gorgeous in the spring, and seems to be a pretty bush when out of bloom.
Odorata -- well, it mildews here, but where that's not a problem, it's a gorgeous once-blooming, violet-scented tree-scrambler.
Fortuniana is a beautiful rambler-type. It's remontant here in our mild climate. Mine came from an old cemetery, where it surely began life as rootstock. It's as big as a bus, these days.
And for us, the prize of all of them is 'Gloire des Rosomanes,' ("Ragged Robin") which IMHO should be in every California garden.

Jeri

Jeri, Dr. Huey is quite susceptible to blackspot in the East. I've seen mildew as well.

Mona, if you climb it into a tree, that would help to hide the bad late-season foliage. But my suggestion would be to cut him right to the ground after blooming, fertilize once as soon as growth starts, and put down some fresh mulch if there are fallen BS leaves. The new basal canes will get less disease. Let them fountain naturally. Plants grown like that look good during the June bloom the following year.

If you transplant this time of the year, I would prune very hard and treat it as a bare-root.

I like those suggestions Michael. That would help with the rust problem, as well.
OTOH, if it were ME, I'd dig the dang thing up, and plant something with fewer problems. :-)

Jeri

I have Dr. Huey on what was once a grafted rose, but it looks nice behind the peony, so we're keeping it, at least for now.
{{gwi:267396}}

Thanks Michealg. I play musical plants with my plants and move them around quite often so I wouldn't have thought anything of it to plop it up out of the ground and into a new spot. Glad you mentioned that. I guess I will have to at least wait till the blooms fade. I don't have a tree to climb it onto but maybe I can put it next/behind some grasses I have in one corner with a trellis. Trouble is I have very little sunny spots to plan full sun plants.

If you have successfully trasplanted in this weather before there is no reason to think you can't move your rose, too. You don;t have to prune hard when transplanting, even though some do. Just make sure the rose is well-hydrated before digging, and keep it well-watered afterwards.