No medical attention unless you count me being an RN lol. I've actually been stung a few times now. The first time I didn't really know what stung me and I was thinking it was a spider and was considering going to the Dr but then I went out to look really good under the leaves and saw that it was those caterpillars and researched a little to find out what they were. They aren't deadly or anything..perhaps if someone was actually allergic to them. They do hurt really bad and I am not a whimp about pain normally lol. Don't get me wrong you guys, I don't really think PJP2 attracts them in everyones yard and you should definitely get this rose! They just like him in my yard for some reason but I still grow him. I also don't spray at all because we have a lot of endangered little green tree frogs all over the place and they love my roses. They hide in the flowers and eat bugs. No clue if they eat the Saddleback caterpillars or not. I may go ahead and use NEEM on the caterpillars if I get a big infestation of them this year. I will have to make sure to knock them off with a stick into a cup of something after I spray them to prevent the frogs from eating them full of the NEEM.

Witchy, Yes, I do, and it's good news! But first, how I wish I had given my Sugar Moon more time. It was painfully slow establishing own root, and got shovel pruned way to soon...impulsive of me. However, when it gets its second chance I plan to get it grafted. The bloom to me is other-worldly beautiful, even with the stamens showing fully open. Then there's the incredible scent. I now have two PJP II, both grafted. My first one, now starting its second year, came through winter remarkably well. It was heavily winterized, and was cane hardy to 10". For me I expect it to never get over 30" tall at maturity in a couple more years, and is rather spreading, but the canes are very vertical. The crown is broad which spreads the bush out, the best kind of crown for a long lived bush. Right now the sepals are drooping. I expect the fat blooms to be exhibition stage within 5 days. It got about 18-20" tall at last year's season's end. My second PJP II, planted this spring has pea sized green buds right now, growing very nicely. I would expect an own root PJP II to peter out here. I believe it needs to be grafted up north, but I still do not expect it to get 4-5' tall, but I am very OK with a bush half that height. PJP II is vigorous and cycles very quickly. Its blackspot resistance is just about typical hybrid tea like. It spotted a bit later last fall when I slacked off spraying. I do not think it will completely defoliate here like unsprayed minis will by mid-July, but I cannot truly say so. I try to spray pretty regularly, but have some short lapses occassionally. When I miss a spray, it is often three weeks since the last spray, and it shows. I have two three year old Beverlys and a three year old Pink Enchantment, all three own root. They are starting their 4th. year now. They all have died to the ground every winter. I even heavily winterized Beverly every winter. Pink Enchantment got no protection this past winter on the assumption it is winter hardy enough by its age now, and being an ADR winner. PJP II is twice as big as those three right now. I think grafted makes the difference, but Pink Enchantment should be winter hardy without protection being ADR, don't you think so? I like Beverly's quick repeat, really quick, but right now it and PE are just about as big as they were three years ago. BEV. and PE will be replaced next spring, possibly with grafted versions or with something else. Witchy, if you get Pope John Paul II, make sure you get it grafted, and plant the graft union at 4" below soil level. I also recommend heavy winterization to get maximum performance. If you don't spray expect blackspot, but how severe I cannot say. Moses

You might find Sugar Moon Grafted from a big box store. That is where I got mine. Btw, its growth habit is fairly upright if that helps with placement. Mine died back over winter, but that could have been the result of the root canker of which it eventually died. I buy for fragrance and this one is tops. My DH even made and exception for a white rose! : )) It's not as clean a white as PJP11 which I feel allows it to blend with others a bit more, and as I mentioned it has gorgeous stamens. I'll see if I can find an old pic. Actually, here is my original post with some good pics and others' comments. Ignore my placement of this rose as everything mentioned failed in this bed, but is thriving elsewhere (except SM : (( ). I eventually planted Ghislaine de Feligonde and it loves the spot. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4113178/sugar-moon-size-and-growth-habit-sun-needs#n=12

So gorgeous...I'm not surprised she wanted it either. I made a simple rose bouquet of whatever was blooming in spring to take to a friend's house for a hostess gift and the next week she called me begging for more because she wanted fresh roses in the house when out of town guests were there. I realized then how much non rose growing people go nuts over fresh rose bouquets. When I thought about it, to buy a bouquet like that at a florist would have been very expensive so it makes sense.