I would be concerned -- you know it blooms on old wood, right? And of course, you know it is very vigorous?

If you cut it back firmly, to meet your "tree" requirements, I think you'd lose most of the bloom. I say that, because we see plants of it pruned by mow-&-blows in January, that bloom sparingly, or not at all.

I should add that, where that's NOT done to it, it can be really beautiful in your climate.

Jeri

Hi Jeri,

We purchased two of them as 5 gallon plants last year thinking that we could train each up the porch pillars and curved around the arch between them. This plant has wild canes that are at least 16 to 20 feet long and unfortunately, the only way to support it in the area would be drilling something through the finish on our house, which could ruin the integrity of the finish. We had a "bright" idea that we we would use wood pieces and wire to train this rose but I just do not have the patience to deal with it. Another problem is, it catches people walking up to the porch prior to the canes reaching the top portion where it can be connected. It is truly an unruly mess.

It doesn't bother me if this rose is trimmed and does not bloom next year, but if I do not find another growth pattern and placement for it, then it will be sp'd or given away with the other one that I am gifting to a neighbor who has the perfect place to grow it.

Btw, a side note

Last weekend, we travelled to Ventura for my hubby's b'day party. We forgot to take the rose to my sister-in-law in Saticoy . It actually was fortunate because she informed me that she likes what she describes as happy, cheerful, vibrant colors like yellows, oranges and red. On the drive home I ordered a Julia Child for her. No problems, as I love Grandmother's Hat and it has not bloomed yet. The foliage is beautiful and will create a great backdrop for other roses if it never blooms; although I am looking forward to Spring:).

Lynn

So, this is "White Lady Banks," not the yellow?

In any case, it is huge. And delightfully scented of violets. Really, if you don't have the space for it, it's best to pass it along to someone who does. Elsewise, you're just fighting its nature.

Jeri

I agree with Jeri - this rose is NOT going to take well to any attempts to "train" it. Do you know anyone with a tall tree into which it could grow? It would then climb way up, and drip canes down, and make a fabulous display, and would not get in the way.

I have the yellow Lady Banks rose growing on my house - but I love huge roses, and it is not for everyone. (see pic)

Jackie

Oh my Jackie, it is beautiful and definitely a side of the house eater. My house has a plastered/stucco finish, so drilling anything into the sides of it for support is not a good idea.

It is the white Lady Banks. The neighbors across the street have two yellow L.B. And they are growing straight up. There is a large rounded area. The only thing I can compare it to in shape is the patio/tree roses. Their LB roses have been there since the previous owners, and then survived neglect for two years.

Lynn

Wow, Jackie, that is a spectacular rose!

Descanso has a few and they look like fountaining "trees" from one side but the other side is a patio style support. A large freestanding square or triangular support might fit the description. You would need to make it very large. If you have the spot for such a thing ( maybe even a small gazebo ) I would go for it. A big Lady Banks is always wonderful but you don't need to have it on the house to enjoy it. I think when it grew in it would look less messy. I would want to be able to walk under and enjoy the waterfall effect if I had one.

Kittymoonbeam, That's a great idea! Thank you. I think I am going to take a picture of my neighbor's plant, my plant, site your triangular support description at my local nursery or big box store and see if between the three, I can re-create the look. I find the thin flexible wild canes almost as difficult to deal with than my mature climbers with stiff canes. I think it could also appreciate a location that is sunnier than where it is now.

Lynn

I should take pictures now and in the spring when it blooms, but the neighbor across the street has her lady banks growing rather neatly across the top of a picket fence. It is thick and probably rather woody deep under there and they only paint the fence near her cause I think she keeps the fence together.

But it blooms wonderfully every spring and then it gets trimmed back with a hedge clippers (I think). The mow and blow guys do trim the "wild hairs" but it has no shortage of blooms in season.

Yes. But for it to do that, the pruning has to follow the spring bloom, so that the next growth has time to mature.

What you DON'T want to do is prune it in January.

OH, and if you don't prune it after the spring flush, it will continue to bloom (at a lower level) through the year (in our coastal climate).

Remember, when you think about "White Lady Banks," (R. banksia banksia) that it is "The Tombstone Rose," allegedly the largest rose in the world.

Jeri

Jeri, Oh My! If I had not seen the mature L.B. across the street, I would run horrified in fear that mine would become 1/4 the size of that one...that L.B. is gigantic!!

Unless my husband digs the hole to plant it in the ground, or asks the gardeners to plant it, L.B. will likely remain in its large pot, which is another strike as far as I am concerned because I have not been able to grow anything in a pot long term. I do enjoy its floriferous spring bloom.

Lynn

This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 23:10

Lynn,

If for some reason you cannot manage the rose, I would be happy to plant it in the cemetery. One of the old, unidentified Chinas there has a bad, bad case of Rose Rosette and is slated for removal. Your White Lady Banks could fill the spot along with the other ramblers along the fence line.

Josh

This post was edited by JoshTx on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 23:24

And I know it would do well in TX. :-)

Jeri

I've had my yellow Lady Banksia planted for close to 30 years, decided one year I needed to remove it as it was out of control, grew through my chain link fence, which upset my neighbor so pruned it down to the ground, and it just LOVED that, came back up wilder than ever. It's one of our earliest bloomers, beautiful, so now I just prune it back after the blooms, do what's necessary to keep it from going through the fence and enjoy it! This is one tough rose.

It is tough. There's one in a commercial setting here; yellow L.B., and it is very large.

Josh, it is interesting that you made the cemetery suggestion. I was going to give one of the two to my neighbor who just today determined that it will likely become too large for the space she had in mind.

L.B. has close to 20' canes right now. I am unsure as to how it can be shipped to you, or did you want cuttings?

Lynn

Lady Banks on a fence