Interesting Post! I've been an advocate of own-root roses for several years, but I have to admit grafted (if healthy) almost always seem to grow bigger (or at least as big). A main reason I like own-roots is they seem particularly well-suited to life in a pot, so Ceterum's question about growing them first in a pot might actually be a key factor to success. I know from experience that roses on Fortuniana (down here in the South, at least) will grow the biggest of all. That's precisely why I avoid it. Dr. Huey I don't like simply because the root structure is one of long central tap-roots that always find their way quickly out the bottom of the pot and aren't happy confined. But small doesn't always mean weak or unhappy. I heard a rule of thumb years ago that seems to be mostly true; that varieties which tend toward bushiness/many branches will tend also to develop good roots. I've had many own-root roses, about half of them minis but the rest mostly hybrid teas, and the HTs vary a lot. Many old and newer do great own-root; some don't. I've lost count of the roses I've given to neighbors and friends because they had gotten too big to be happy in pots. Once in the ground they quickly get even bigger. But back to Ceterum's question about letting the young roses mature some first in pots: Maybe that's the key. The one's I've given away after 2-4 years tend to do terrific in the ground; they've had lots of time to build up a good root system in friable potting soil and without competition from neighboring plants and trees. Incidentally, some of the hybrid teas I've grown own-root that did very well include: Paradise, Gold Medal, the old HT Mrs. Herbert Stevens (really more of a tea), Lady Luck, Fragrant Plum, Tiffany, Helmut Schmidt, Touch of Class, Artistry, Timeless, and Olympiad. Radiance is OK own-root, but I wonder if it would do better grafted. Some new ones for me that look promising are Deep Secret(kind of slow its first year but now looking bushy and vigorous, though still short, its 2nd spring), Dame de Coeur, Lagerfeld (still kind of gangly but growing big--I only got it last fall), all 3 I just got from Roses Unlimited, including Jardins de Bagatelle, Chrysler Imperial, and Papa Meilland (Ceterum had cautioned that PM may take 3-4 years to come into its own, but already it had 3 flower buds and it just came in mid-March. JdB has already produced 4 gorgeous blooms and seems to want to repeat rapidly, even continously! CI looks great too. Alec's Red is 1 year old and small but healthy and blooming well. A few HTs I thought were happier grafted include: Fragrant Cloud, Mr. Lincoln, Valencia, Just Joey, Double Delight, and Honor. The others I'm excited about are all mini floras or minis, so I guess they don't count for this discussion, since they're always own-root. But Man! Leading Lady and Whirlaway might as well be small hybrid teas, the blooms are so big and perfectly formed!

It is very difficult to find budders and very expensive if you can. Also try convincing the US Government you need to a temporary work permit to bring in skilled budders from out of the country! Most budded crops grown in the field are also two year old plus crops. Own root crops in pots are one year old for a gallon plant or larger. For small nurseries the savings of a year old crop over a two year old crop can be the difference between staying in business and bankruptcy. Personally I think the debate over which is better is answered by the simple question, "what is best for you, in your climate and for the types of roses you like to grow?" The answer can be found by talking to other like rose lovers in your area. I like own root for my garden, but it would be presumptuous of me to try to convince someone up north who prefers grafted that own-root is better because I have never grown roses in their climate. And vice versa of course also holds true. ItÂs all personal folks! And isnÂt it great that you have a choice. Paul

This is an interesting subject I have spend a lot of time and energy on, and I really like hearing others opinon :-) I wish some of the large rose producers would give us their knowlege or that someone does a large scale test of rootstocks in differnt locations that last at least 6 years. Kordes, Meilland and others must have lots of experience in this, not to mention nurseries in US. There are some old tests (1940's and 50's) that lasted 7 years or so, with field grown roses where the grafted roses did much better than any ownroot. For Europe north of the Alps three roses as rootstock came out better than others: Laxa, multiflora and a few canina varieties. Personally I have grown and observed alba roses like Minette, Maiden's Blush, Felicite Parmentier both as grafted plants and grown from rooted cuttings. In most cases all the grafed ones are larger even after something like 30-50 years (I have only planted roses the last 10 years). They say a grafed rose live on average something like 5 years, but some varieties really grow old as grafted plants. Maiden's Blush and Felicite Parmentier does not sucker much, if at all. Most likely it is the canina understock that is the root of these plants.These varieties are well worth growing ownroot and have vigour and resilience enough to stand on their ownfeet almost any where. In the rosarium in my town they grow a lot of rugosas, many of them really don't need any help from canina roots, or any other. Still they often are produced as grafted plants. I think it was Fru Dagmar Hastrup that was bought and planted on canina roots and did fine on them for a long time. Something like 6 years later they dug the plants up, sawed of the rootstock that still was the main root on all plants. This was done as an experiment and in hope that the plant would not grow as tall. They got the desired result, about 50 cm (just under two feet) shorter. The plants looked just as good on canina roots as ownroot. What I find interesting here it the fact that these rugosas do very well ownroot and really have no problem with the climate in any way. It seams that the understock gives the plant extra growth and energy. I have noticed this with climbers too, New Dawn, Blaze and a few climbing hybrid teas. They grow taller no doubt, and often look healthier and more resilient than ownroot plants. Floribundas and hybrid teas are even more dependent on streangth from the rootstock, and mostly there are no contest at all between ownroot and grafted. Pots seam to be the exeption and with extra care some grow into fine plants. I have read that multiflora does better in pots than other rootstocks. I have not had the chance to test this out, but multiflora does very well in pots. One of the arguments of those who produce ownroot roses is that grafted roses is less costly and done with less laber. This is not true. There was a time when grafting roses was considered both more expensive and more work, but the end result was found better. Another argument is that ownroot plants often look better in the garden and often will grow more shapely. This is not true either, I state this with observations from both the south of France and Northern Europe. A very long time ago grafting of roses was done with different techniques (in the time of Gertrude Jekyll). I don't know of any roses that is many with any other method than "oculation" (I don't know if this is the right term in English): Where a tiny T-shaped cut is made on the root-neck of the rootstock and an eye from the disired rose is slided under the fresh bark in the T-shaped cut. The root-stock is slightly pulled up from the soil, for the neck of the root to be exposed. This gives the plants by far much the same shape as a rose grown on its own roots. The budding point is not easily detected and the plants are not more leggy than ownroots. I dare state that there is no difference is shape even when grown right next to an ownroot rose of the same variety. After making such a rant about this, I have to mention that I happily rot cuttings of almost any rose :-)

Many mauve roses aren't vigorous on their own roots, but they can be small and still happy. I don't need monster roses in my small garden. One mauve rose that does well on its own roots is Wild Blue Yonder and it is in stock at Heirloom Roses. I learned the hard way that mauve roses tend to burn in the heat. A spot that receives morning sun and afternoon shade should work nicely for your rose. Are you in northern or southern California? Although I try not to do it often, Heirloom Roses is very nice about changing orders if you should change your mind. Have fun :-)