Thank you, Nik. This is useful information. I will give it a try and see how it does. It is sweet offer from my boss that I would find difficult to turn down considering her family's attachment to the rose. But I feel an equal responsibility to see that it grows well.

That’s pretty exciting, Jasminerose. Just think, you will probably be receiving a cutting from a rose of a clone not many if any, have in the US. I know the Damask rose is grown here, but surely not from that particular mother plant. Some particular clones are superior and/or different from others. Who knows what wonderful surprise is awaiting you! I’m excited and happy for you, as you can tell:) Did she tell you anything about it’s bloom frequently in S CA? I’m just assuming her grandmother grows it in S CA , as well. Maybe she can take a picture of the mother plant to give you some idea of its growth habits. Pass along plants/roses or with a history are so special. Here you are getting both! Wonderful!!! Lisa

This rose blooms once in spring. The bloom period can be extended or short depending on cultivar and, especially, climate.

Jasmine, what a wonderful gift! The story that accompanies your cuttings makes the pass alongs even more precious!! I'm glad Nik was able to supply so much info about your Damask variety.

I also know someone who fled Syria hurriedly and without treasured belongings. I wish we could all stand hand in hand with a firm, protective embrace and bring peace and security to that region of the world. Its residents need to begin healing, connecting and taking steps toward fully living again.

Once your rose cuttings root and develop, if you happen to have extra one and it's possible to send it north to OR, could I trouble you for a start? I'd love to try growing the Damask connected to your and your boss' story. If successful, I'd eventually attempt further propagation and pass along cuttings to a couple of gardeners I know with origins in Syria and nearby.

No worries or hurt feelings at all if you reply that this isn't a good time or this isn't a feasible request or it's too difficult to persuade multiple cuttings to thrive. Just say no. :-) I'll pop over to your profile page and "follow" you so you are able to contact me privately if you wish.

Carol

Thank you, Nik for your practical information and Lisa and Carol for expressing my sentiments about this rose exactly. I can see how this rose will be very symbolic reminder of my supervisor's journey to the U.S. While I was reading about the damask rose in Syria, I read about artist, Fatma Bucak's exhibit at Brown University held last January, called "And all men turn their faces from there." Several damask roses brought from Syria were grown and displayed under grow lights as "a simple, yet moving metaphor for the challenges that many migrants in the world - and those from Syria in particular - are facing." Some of the roses were resilient and put down roots and some roses were lost. At the close of the exhibition, the roses were repotted and distributed to members of the local community. The artist hoped to encourage reflection on how we help welcome and make space for immigrants needing to find new homes. For those of you who are interested, you can see a video about the exhibit here: Syrian damask roses bloom at Brown University and you can see the rose bloom!

Carol, I have never ever successfully rooted a rose, but my supervisor said I will be able to root this one. I found this article: How to prepare rose cuttings for mailing. Can anyone tell me if it is safe and legal for me to do this from one state to another?

To those instructions, I would also add to mail them as early in the week as possible, Monday preferably, so they don't get hung up for a few days over a weekend, and be particularly aware of holidays. Always use Priority Mail. Priority Express is not necessary as VERY often both get to the same destination on the same day, but Express costs multitudes more than Priority. IF the material is prepared and packaged properly and IF it isn't allowed to sit in a truck somewhere it either freezes or bakes, yes, it can easily be safely done. Legalities are something quite different. Mail order nurseries have to pass specific requirements to be licensed to ship into California and must use pesticides specific for the particular pests and diseases found where the shipping nursery is located, California wishes to prevent being brought in to our state. You need to be aware of importing fire ants, Japanese Beetles, rose midge, RRD and a host of other "goodies". Until just the past few years, Chilli Thrips were part of that list, but unfortunately, someone has already "shared" those with many of us.

Thank you, Kim. Is it possible to transfer Chilli Thrips on cleaned canes without leaves? What if I treat the cuttings with Spinosad?

Hi Bonnie, yes ma'am. It is possible to transfer them on bare canes, just as it is possible to transfer mites and fungal spores on them. Spinosad is one thing that's used, but usually in combination with other pesticides. A cocktail of poisons is usually used to prevent them from being able to develop resistance. The Spinosad will likely kill off some of them, but there's no guaranty it will do them all in. Would you be willing to take that chance? Would the potential recipient? Personally, I wouldn't be.

No, I wouldn't be willing to transfer these dreaded Chilli Thrips to anyone. I'm glad I have you to ask. Thank you, Kim.

Thank you, Bonnie. I'm glad you're thinking about such things. I wish those responsible for importing them here (as well as such goodies as the Citrus Psyllid and several others) had thought about them before they did what resulted in our now having to live with these pests. Perhaps, if your supervisor is mailing them from somewhere there aren't such things to worry about, there may be somewhere to send them for propagation so it can get preserved and you can safely share them with others who would like one? I hope you can create room for it in your garden. If you can find room for two plants, I'm working on getting the San Juan Bautista "Rose of Castille" (Autumn Damask) propagated to get it spread around. The plant from which the cuttings came is documented as having been rooted directly from the plant the Padres planted at Mission San Juan Bautista. You could say they should all be the same as they all originated from the original sport, except, a friend who studies such things and has for some years, reports there are something like six variants, differing quite a bit from one another. It would be interesting to add your Syrian one to the study.

Thank you, Jasminerose! I hope that everything works in your favor regarding shipping and propagation. It is such a relief to read conversations where everyone is talking about and taking seriously pest and disease impact! I loved your reference to Fatma Bucak's exhibit at Brown University. What a powerful project, with roses giving voice and vision to the plight of people! Carol

Thank you! My boss will be able to give me the cuttings without shipping since the mother plant is close by. I was hoping to share cuttings with others. The Autum Damask rose looks like a very old hybrid of the Middle Eastern Damask rose, only it is a repeat bloomer and more compact. Both Rogue Valley Roses and Antique Rose Emporium have it in their catalog, but it is out of stock. I will share your kind words with my supervisor. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, Jasmine! Carol

Happy Thanksgiving, Jasmine! I called the post office several months ago to ask about shipping a rose from my home in Southern CA to someone else’s home in Northern CA. After being directed to the proper department, I was told that there was no problem. I was rather surprised to hear that I could send a whole potted rose, soil and all! As long as it was starting from CALIFORNIA, there were no restrictions for shipping a rose. I don’t know about other states receiving a rose from CA, but CA had no restrictions about mailing a rose out. So, just FYI, you can share with us CA folks for sure:) I checked. Lisa

Careful, those are postal regulations, not Dept. of Agriculture regs. Light Brown Apple Moth quarantine for all nursery stock from quarantined areas (includes the list of quarantined counties);Imported Fire Ants quarantine for listed specific areas; I would check with the State Agricultural Department before moving any potted plants from one county to the next. Some counties can't provide propagated roses for donations to sales in other counties without State inspections. It depends whether the shipping area is under quarantine for pests and/or diseases if the plant can be moved into the receiving area. Do you remember the discussions in the past about how expensive the phytosanitary certificates were for Vintage to ship roses, while other sources didn't have to provide them? Vintage was in several quarantine areas for specific issues where Visalia wasn't. You should check to insure the sending location isn't under quarantine for something your area doesn't already have.

Kim, just compare what you tend to do in the US with the stupidest of systems, designed for free trade, whereas there are no restrictions to send or receive anything from and to anywhere in the EU... The result has been devastating and now every region has all pests 'available' to it from all of the EU as long as its climate supports it.. And if a country's controls fail by importing some new devil from afar, then this is soon gifted to every other country in the 'union'.. Of course the Dutch would not want it otherwise..

Agreed. Sad.

Excuse my ignorance, but why would the Dutch not want It otherwise? Lisa

I received the Syrian rose cuttings. There are about 10 canes, about a foot and a half long each. I have never successfully propagated anything, so I gave them to a nearby friend who is very talented with that sort of thing. I kept one cane for myself to propagate, because I always want to keep trying. I'm thinking of reviewing the "burrito" method.

Lisa,

Because Holland is the main hub for pan-european plant commerce.