Grafted roses send basal breaks from the bud union. Own root from their crown. The bud union is the heartbeat and source of new canes from the scion. If they did not, the rose's old canes gradually peter out and production lessens for blooms and more new growth. If they didn't throw basals, most moderns probably (HT, Floribunda, etc.) wouldn't last more than a couple of years. These new canes directly from the bud union ARE basals from which other vigorous growth may ensue. It's like saying that two engines don't use gasoline because one is carbureted and one is direct fuel injection! What nonsense- just two methods of delivering the goods which allow the engine to run! Exceptions of course lie with Chinas, Teas, and their kin (which I am unable to have direct gardening experience with due to climate, but understand through others' expertise and first hand dealings.) Some roses are more apt to exhaust wood quickly or are very vigorous and send out multiple points of new growth. My Angel Face seems to prefer building on top of an old framework of canes whereas my Gallica (found) seems to need a bit more removal of tired canes and is forever sending up new (and suckering gleefully into the yard). I'm an optician and hear people say some crazy things about their glasses/eyes. All I can do is smile! and think, "Just because you say that doesn't make it true!" I've even had a man tell me he never ordered a Flexon frame from us EVER even though I personally helped him pick them out last year and have record of it in the computer system! Sorry for diverging off topic. I know not of any means of encouraging new basal growth. I say as long as the rose his healthy, thriving, and blooming, let it be. Steven

I was wondering about that. On some of my grafted roses, there is a bit of the stump left on the bud union. On some of those, I'm getting new growth off of this stump. So is that a new basal (off of an ancillary crown) or just the old cane spouting? I guess it really doesn't matter, right? I do have some coming right from the bud union. I have 6 (count them!) coming from my QE climber. I've been cutting off one big old cane a year for 3 years now. Finally it's paying off. Since it's a once bloomer, I think I'm going to get rid of the last old woody cane this spring after the flush. They make perfect wood for the chimenea.

My take, Sheila, ^^ on a1an’s question is that he doesn’t know if this is a new cane ( of the desired rose) arising from the bud union, or if the new growth is arising from the basal region of a pre-existing cane. He could tell now by excavating mulch and soil, but he’s not going to do so till early next year. He would like to see for himself that what we are all told happens ( brand new canes really can grow from the bud union) really does happen, as we here bury the bud union. It’s like Scooter Libby threw sand in our eyes. Of course the new growth he sees may be coming from a pre-existing cane. He wants us to predict, now, which it is.

UPDATE!! and new photos! I cut off 1 old cane to the ground late last year. Since then, several MORE new breaks have emerged. And blooms on the first ones! All of them emerged through last Fall and Winter. This plant is at least 20 years old, probably 22 or 23 years. I also took a healthy cutting last Fall from one of the original canes, stuck it in the ground in a shady spot in the yard, covered it with the top of a plastic OJ bottle for warmth, covered that with burlap, and kept it moist. It is leafing out and looks like it will have a new home by Summer. (I'll start a separate post about that one.) I can't believe this rose! 17 March, 2021: Look at all those new canes!! The newest is a tiny one of the far left. 16 April, 2021 - Buds and blooms on the first 2 new canes shown in the photo in the original post.