There are very few roses in the world that I could say I hated. This is one. It grew into a huge monsterous thing with big ugly canes. Outside of photos I really disliked the blooms which had the texture of cabbage. And it was an incredibly stingy bloomer. It doesn't live here any more.

I've about had enough of this rose as well. It also proliferates. UGLY!

Barbara

I would have liked to get even a few flowers. I tried twice to grow this own root rose and lost both plants. Maybe try very consistent deep watering. This helps me coax blooms from my shy bloomers. And don't forget lots of mulch. Somebody told me that when the soil dries out, the little root hairs die back and this interrupts the bloom cycle. True or no, more consistent watering seems to work for me.

Thank you, Mendocino, Barbara and kittymoonbeam!
I guess I'll give it this season, then if it doesn't start blooming, get rid of it! I have never gotten the proliferation, but as I said, it only has had maybe 6 flowers in 3 years. Oh, and yes, I give it deep consistent watering, and it is mulched well. Doesn't seem to faze it.
I am hopeful that my new Red Eden and Traviata will bloom better. Red Eden's first blooms were wonderful!
:0) Phyl

Hmmm, mine blooms in regular flushes, as well as any other of my Romanticas. Maybe there are a lot of bad clones on the market?

My RR is a heavy bloomer.
Olga

I deadheaded heavily last night, and I just went outside and counted the remaining buds - 39. My RR is in it's 4th year and was bought from Wayside as 'Caruso'. For sure it's grafted, and more then likely on Dr. Huey, although I can't be certain. All my Meillands from Wayside have been exceptional with never a trace of virus. I believe that Star roses is Waysides supplier on Meillands. The thickness of the canes is a matter of personal preference. Here in windy Oklahoma weenie whippy canes are not a good thing, so Rouge Royales stout upright canes are just the ticket. Rouge Royale blooms best here when the weather warms up and even does a good job when it's very hot. The blooms do not like rain, and they do not last that long on the bush. However if picked just after opening they make a very good cut flower. If the blooms lasted longer before discoloring on the bush this rose, because of it's vigor, bloom form and color, strong fragrance, upright bushy growth habit, overall health and winter hardiness, would get a 10 from me.

I wonder if it doesn't do well on it's own roots? Hope that's not it-i have a small band from Heirloom growing furiously just outside the backdoor. Carolfm posted a beautiful specimen last summer but mere mortals cannot be expected to achieve the same results ;)

RR was also enthusiastically recommended to me by a CR on Oahu who grows many very fragrant roses but i don't see a zone pattern based on the postings so far.

Maybe try another on different rootstock?

If

My three on Dr. Huey are now gone. And not missed
In the same soil,eight feet away, Traviatas remain excellent disease resistant bloom machines at eleven, eleven and ten years old.

Didn't you say Ann that Dr. Huey rootstock (which is the usual rootstock for a grafted RR) does not do well in your soil? I didn't pay attention to rootstock when I was planting my roses back in the day, but I presume most of them are on Dr. Huey. One of my oldest is another Meilland from Wayside, 'Yves Piaget'. Going on 17 years old now (my how time flies)....Maybe it's root stock for me? Own root rose cultivars are exceptional IMO me when they DO show vigor in less then 3-4 years (except for minis of course).

Dr. Huey is non-performing in my soil and I planted mine deep, but they didn't choose to go own root.

Some, from Wayside about ten years ago may have been on Manetti, which might explain their survival.
I all but jumped through hoops trying to make the soil more alkalin to try to fool Dr. Huey. It didn't work. Now I've gone to mixing lots of crushed egg shells in amongst Dr. Huey roots on the few roses I buy on Huey. It seems to be working better than aiming for a loam with red clay as a third.

I know we both have clay soil and after listening to your woes with Dr. Huey, I purposely bought a rose on Multiflora to see if it tolerated clay better or showed any growth/longevity difference. But our PH is around 6.8, which I think is higher then yours, so Dr. Huey does pretty well for me.....You could be right about Manetti root stock for Yves...........Say, here's rose heaven: A nursery that custom propogates roses to suite (A) the rose (as some roses do better on different root stocks) or (B) the buyer.

Good to know Predfern. I had a sale Yves from Wayside a long time ago, and it died its first winter. I thought it was due to where I planted it (drainage was poor) or that maybe it was a weak specimen. The one we got from RU is much bigger to start with, and I put it in a great location, so we'll see. I'll make sure to winter-protect well.
Our Rouge Royale keeps coming back each year, and bigger. As I said, it has just been a problem with the # of blooms. Each bloom has been exquisite...all 6. LOL

So, I have ANOTHER question, then. If multiflora is the best rootstock for my area, where in the world can I find RR on multiflora? I've never seen RR offered through Palatine or Pickering. I thought was an "iffy" nursery to purchase from.

:0) Phyl

ROUGE ROYALE is my favorite red rose and for me has always been a prolific bloomer. My cultivar is grafted onto the good doctor. I think your problem is hardiness. I once lost a Rouge Royale to winter chill because I located it in a cooler microclimate in my yard. Given my experience I can say that this rose is not hardy north of USDA Zone 6b. Even then careful placement is necessary.

I would call mine a stingy bloomer, yes, and the bush is nothing great, but the blooms are amazing, and the fragrance is fantastic. I wait patiently for the blooms. To me, they're worth it. They're big, deep, blooms with a big fragrance. I like that combination.

I've never had trouble getting mine through the winter. Seems hardy enough. This own root rose has full sun and the outer petals turn brown and crisp. It is not my kind of rose.

Barbara

Mine is a very stingy bloomer, so it lost it's space in the front yard and now is on the side. It avoided the shovel only because hubby loves the flower when it deigns to appear.

Well I guess someone had to do it. If you pick the blooms early enough this is what they will look like in a vase:
{{gwi:217135}}

I knew your fav red was RR, Molineux. I can understand why. I LOVE it when it blooms. I'm not sure I understand why you think it's a hardiness issue....it has never died, and starts out as big as all our others-it just doesn't want to bloom. Maybe it isn't getting enough sun...most of our roses are full sun all day long...RR gets some dappled shade in the afternoon. I once thought it was recommended that RR be planted in a bit of shade due to its edges burning.
Maybe I'll move it in the spring to a sunnier area.
:0) Phyl

Oh dear, sorry others are having poor luck with Rouge Royale. It is my absolute favorite. Big healthy bush, covered with blooms even in our hideous summer weather. (between Austin and Houston.) I do recall that a pair of own-root Rouge Royales died very quickly, but if I could find a dozen grafted ones I would buy them all...they sell out in two weeks each January in Austin at It's A Jungle, the only store around that carries them.

Well, to echo prairielaura, mine is one of my favorites. It is a healthy bush, not overgrown, and covered with blooms even now in very hot weather. Mine is grafted, but I don't know on what - probably Dr. Huey. It is not even in an ideal location, getting only a little over a half day of sun. And, the blooms do last on the plant. All of my Romanticas do beautifully. I have LIV TYLER, SWEET PROMISE and BOLERO, as well as ROUGE ROYALE. It is really interesting how some roses do well in one area, and poorly in another.

My ownroot Rouge Royale is only in its second year (from Roses Unlimited) and so far it has bloomed well but the plant is still on the small side. I have placed it alongside our deck in full sun where it seems happy. It came through the winter like all my hybrid teas and floribundas, with about 6 inches of live cane. (In zone 4, this is typical and the roses rebound quickly). Mine is in bloom right now so I went out and snapped this picture. The scent is so fruity and delicious that I am
glad I placed it close to the steps. I can't comment on
how profusely it will (or won't) bloom, but it sure is a stunner and yummy-smelling too.

Celeste

{{gwi:285698}}

{{gwi:231515}}

Wow Celeste....beautiful! I planted an own root RR from RU a couple months ago. It is still pretty small. I'm wondering if I should have bought a grafted RR. Gosh...those blooms are beautiful. So far my RR has had 3. Love them.

Own root Rouge Royale from RU. It's not perfect but it blooms alot, the blooms are gorgeous and fragrant, and I forgive it. :-)

It's the red one that obviously needed deadheading....

{{gwi:231516}}

{{gwi:285700}}

Carol

OMG Carol...I can only dream of such a RR in my garden! I would surely have to move things around to make space. Thanks for the inspiration. Gorgeous rose! What are the other roses around it????

Celeste & Carol,
Gorgeous photos! Our RR currently has 2 whole buds on it (being slightly facetious).
Red Eden and Traviata are new from RU. Red Eden has 2 incredible and very long lasting blooms on it right now.
I'm excited to go out and see Traviata. It has its first 2 blooms just opening! I love those old fashioned reds. Just wish they all had RR's scent!
:0) Phyl

UPDATE on RR:

I am absolutely in love now. :0)
A few weeks ago I cut back some of the baptisia australis that was next to RR....and I guess giving it too much shade. It now has 6 ABSOLUTELY AMAZING blooms on it, (I cut a few already for bouquets) and they are lasting forever on the bush without opening wide, shattering or getting crispy (its reputation when staying on the bush).
And the scent is INCREDIBLE. I showed one bloom to a few friends at work, and they swooned.

I think I will get me a few more Rouge Royales in the spring from RU, and plant them in sunnier places where most of our other roses are.

:0) Phyl

I grow RR for the following reasons:
1. it's unusual flower shape - I love it.
2. it's fragrance
3. it's colour - there isn't a lot of reds out there that's a Rouge Royale
4. it's willingness to repeat
5. it's beautiful hips

But it does need dead heading. I let a few set hips late in the season. It needs lots of sun an heat - it will sulk in cold weather. The blooms stand up to the occasional shower, but do not stand up to incessant rain.

I love ROUGE ROYALE because it is a top notch cut flower. As you can see from the images the quartered flower form is utter perfection. Never is a petal out of place. The blooms are also H-U-G-E! I've seen flowers that were the size of my outstretched hand. Amazing. The color is phenomenal: a rich ruby red that doesn't "blue" like so many other dark red Hybrid Teas. Then there is the petal texture: velvety on the top with a satiny reverse. Absolutely, positively gorgeous. Petals are also stiff with substance. Properly conditioned cut flowers will easily last a week in a vase. Loooooooong straight, strong stems. And don't get me started on the fragrance: intense and complex, rivaling such classics as General Jacqueminot and Souvenir du Docteur Jamain. The burgundy turned dark green leathery foliage is a perfect foil for the sumptuous flowers and the bush has a nice shape to boot. Trust me folks, this is THE true red reproduction rose we've all been looking for. If I had the room I'd grow five of these smoldering beauties.

Hmm, Patrick appears and enabling begins.
I think I need RR. I love my Peter Mayle.

Carla

Rouge Royale is not an unqualified success everywhere it is grown. Here it balls in the cold and blows in the heat. It blues every time and is not particularly generous with its blooms. Some years there are many times it produces vegetative centers.

The plant also has problems here. The necks are weak and the stems are also weak, not a good thing on a tall gangly plant. The canes can sometimes just tip over from the wet weight of a single flower.

On the other hand, It is a beautiful dark red with a wonderful scent. The flowers are larger than average and the fully quartered bloom is a pleasure to view.

Mine has not had any disease problems with only sporadic spraying. However, it sometimes requires extra potassium or the leaves can almost look like it was virused. a shot of Schultz or Miracle Grow in the Bloom master variety clears the problem.

It is a keeper because of the good qualities, but it is certainly not problem free here in MN zone 4a.

Regards,

Charles

I love my RR. The first year it was slow to get established - 2 plants in different parts of the yard. This year it is blooming and BEAUTIFUL. I even ordered one from Northland 2 weeks ago (not sure where I got the first 2) because it's been such a proficient bloomer and smells wonderful.