ebedgert --

You're talking about the Hildesheim Rose, right?
Has its age been verified? Last I heard, it had not been.

If Hildesheim is truly 1,000 years old, it's clear that nothing in the United States can approach it.
There are roses in old cemeteries which are PRESUMED to be 150 or so years old.
The problem is that with most of those plants, we have a date on the grave, but no verification of the date the rose was planted.

OTOH, The "Tombstone Rose," in Tombstone Arizona (R. banksiae banksiae) is a verified 122 years old.
It is supposed to be the Biggest Rose In The World.
See:
http://www.goldcoastrose.org/shared/tombstone.htm

Jeri

Jeri--that is AMAZING thanks for the link! I've linked it below...for the cut-and-paste impaired. ;~)

Here is a link that might be useful: Tombstone Inn Rose

Awesome! ThatÂs my kind of rose.

Outstanding link Jeri!! Check out that "trunk!" =-O

The world's oldest roses are undoubtedly growing on their own roots. Does anyone know the life expectancy of a grafted modern rose that hasn't struck its own roots?

Our oldest rose is an approximately 65 year old Cecile Brunner climber. A woman who was born into our home in 1940 recently stopped by and when I took her out back she gasped when she saw the rose: "It's still there".

It was a very emotional moment for us both.

I feel really blessed to have such a fine grand-lady gracing our home. She's extremely healthy, has never had any sign of disease, and had an incredible spring display this year. I treasure her.

I saw some gallica roses at Hershey garden that were 100 years old--they were part of Mrs Hershey's garden and replanted in 1942 to their present location. The plants were small compact bushes, indicating that they were still using the rootstock--if they had gone own root I'd expect to see the plant spread via suckers. The main garden has many grafted plants going back decades.

My wife and I visited the Butler McCook home last Saturday--it features Rosa Banksia, a 154 year-old rose given to Eliza Butler McCook in 1853. It is sheltered with an building, as the rose is out of zone!

Here is a link that might be useful: Butler McCook home

Jaxondel,

I spoke with a rosarian, (E. W.) who grafted several hundred roses onto rootstock, for a large Californian public garden, he was also the President of a large local rose society.
He said that on average a cultivar on rootstock will need to be replaced after 15 years.
When I compare our 15 to 20 year old roses on rootstock to younger plants, the 20 year old Hybrid Tea roses on rootstock, produce far fewer roses per sqare foot of bush than younger H.T.s.because they stop producing new basal canes. It would appear that the budwood, which was grafted on the rootstock deteriorates, or dies, after 15 years.
It is one of the reasons I usually purchase "own root" roses.
Luxrosa
P.S.
My grandmothers own root, "Mme. Cecille Brunner" was planted in the 1940's and is still thriving at 57+ years of age .

How long will the own-root plants grow without root stock? Only time will tell.

There is a Seven Sisters rose growing along an old dirt road near here where there must have been a house at one time but there is definately no sign of it now and I've lived around here for 38 years.