Anyone grow Mme Alfred Carriere?
Tangles Long
6 years ago
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nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
5 years agoflowersaremusic z5 Eastern WA
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Mme Alfred Carriere in Zone 5?
Comments (9)MAC's appears to have survived its first winter here but it is still very early and hard to be certain. The newer roses seem to have all lost wood at the ends of their still small canes. This has been a more difficult winter than recent ones, for example, my Daphne odora marginata has lost all its leaves for the first time. Since the stems are still supple, there is hope. In short, although MAC may be a stretch in your climate, it may be worth a shot. I recommend protecting it in winter the first few years for best results. Cath...See MoreRenae vs. Mme Alfred Carriere
Comments (8)Not to disrespect the Madame in any way, but from experience she is a MONSTER! She wants to be a large, tall plant, no matter how horizontally you train her. She will express her long canes even more vigorously in an indirect, filtered light, partial shade situation, attempting to throw herself into the good sunlight. Your stated height for the railing of 3.5' is no where near sufficient for a plant of her vigor and demanded size. She's sometimes described as having a "lower prickle count", which perhaps could be said depending upon your definition of "lower", but from experience, her smaller prickles are SHARP and mean. I've lost MUCH blood to too-close, intimate contact with her. I realize your zone could be anything from 6b to 8a in Arkansas, and where I grew her was zone 9b, but relative vigor compared to relative vigor holds true. I definitely feel the Madame is going to be too vigorous, too large and too prickly for that short a support, and her mean prickles are going to be the type you really don't want on a balcony railing. You'll probably have to keep too much of her pruned off to get much bloom and what you do receive is very likely to be thrown out toward the sun. I couldn't keep her contained to a 5' block wall. She continually took to the neighbors' trees and threw herself over the wall into the neighbor's back yard where the sun was more direct. Most of the flowering was in their back yard, too, even though she received a whole lot more direct sun where she was than you describe as available where you wish to grow her. Renae, on the other hand, has NO prickles. She is MUCH more limber, more easily manipulated and trained to smaller spaces. She flowers in clusters rather than many one to three flowers per long flowering stems, and often flowers on very short laterals along the canes. She is much less prone to mildew in difficult situations. Not that she won't mildew, she resists it much better than the Madame. Her smaller, less double flowers, occur in many clusters along the canes in much lower light, which should permit you more color and scent along your railing. Renae should be every bit as hardy (perhaps slightly more hardy) than the Madame. Trying to manipulate stiffer, more brittle, sharply prickled canes to a short railing as you describe is not a task I would desire. Manipulating Renae's much more limber, flexible and totally smooth canes will be heaven on earth in comparison. The potential for you to actually enjoy flowers ON the railing is significantly higher because of her habit, too. The Madame is significantly more vigorous a plant than Renae, particularly initially, but that extreme vigor is what will make her quickly unsuitable for such a short support. Renae is going to take her time building into the size plant you desire there, but in the long run she will be one you enjoy and not dread dealing with, nor will she require as much "dealing with" to contain her where you want her. Renae's repeat and explosion of bloom can be remarkable. Again, in a different zone than yours, so perhaps a bit faster development, but in zone 9b, in Visalia, CA at the Ralph Moore Memorial Garden on April 7 of this year, this is what Renae looked like. Imagine that on your balcony railing! These plants are ten years old, own root plants which have been trained by the Master Gardeners there to cover the pergola. Compare the shots to those available for the Madame and consider which you'd rather shove your hands and arms into! Kim...See MoreJust how big is Mme Alfred Carriere, really?
Comments (59)Hmmmm I hope I can keep my MAC in bounds. It is one of the only plants in the yard kept from last fall’s landscaping. Here starting it’s 3rd year. It was neglected last year due to massive construction on the outside of the house plus full yard landscaping in the fall. The spot of green next to and at its base is Gruss an Teplitz, which I thought would hide the lower bare sticks on MAC but I am seeing pictures in this thread showing MAC looking good all the way to the ground. The is the first year getting substantial blooms. She starts out light pink and opens to white for me. I only smell her fragrance when I bring a bloom inside and then she is quite strong....See MoreRestraining Mme Alfred Carriere on pillar?
Comments (10)Have you considered Cl Iceberg? Even in my warm climate, it is MUCH easier to control than MAC. Don't get me wrong - I love MAC. We have three. One was planted to climb up a plum tree, did that, and also jumped over to the tops of 3 other trees. Got to the top of its original tree, and sent long canes from the top down to the base again, covering another huge (20 ft by 20 ft) shrub in the process. Another was planted to grow up the side of our garage. Did that, and also went another 20 feet up a pine tree next to the garage, from whence it is contemplating eating the neighbor's deck. The third one was planted (in a large pot this time!) at the base of another plum tree next to the other side of the garage. It went up the tree 20 feet, and is also now trying to cover the entire roof of the garage. I love them because they bloom for 10 months here, and get no care from me at all, except food once a year and some water during our normal 6 month summer drought. I would not ever try to "control" this rose - Jackie...See MoreGiacomo
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