Well, it seems that it isn't... In a climate which it likes it is very easy to grow and fast becomes quite large.

I have some zone pushers that have grown much better than this. Does anyone else grow it in zone 6?

I would WAIT. Then, if it has still not done anything in a month, I would investigate - is all of the wood dead down to the dirt - no green if you cut the canes anywhere? Is it on its own roots? (in which case it might come back). Did an animal eat its roots (this has caused the sudden death of roses before)?

Patience is a virtue.

Jackie

I love this rose too and have tried it several times now. It has never survived more than one winter and then died the next. I think it's just not very winter hardy and needs ideal conditions and extreme protection in order to survive. It is a gorgeous rose and I still love it but it's just not for my yard.

I thank you all for your input. It is very disappointing to read that some of you have had the same results. It is such a fantastic rose and nothing compares that I have found.

Also, I bought mine at ARE so I think it is own root? It currently has no green whatsoever when we cut the canes.

I don't know what ARE rates it, but HelpMeFind says it's only hardy to 7b. Sounds like you'd have to take special measures to protect it over the winter.

I checked, and ARE does rate it to Z6. I'd say that's *very* optimistic, as I've had major dieback in a hard winter here in Z7a. I finally dug it up and gave it away so I didn't have to see it suffer. It lives in Chattanooga now (7b), where it seems to like it.

Perhaps Plaisanteriemight work for you as I believe it's a bit hardier.

I should add that I have alkaline clay soil...perhaps it does not enjoy that? Thank you for the Plais. suggestion but I think it might get too tall for me.

I second the idea of Plaisanterie. Its not quite the same as Mutabilis, but it sort of does the same thing, and its very very beautiful. Its also been very hardy and reliable for me (very little winter die-back). If you are worried about it getting too tall, you could always keep it pruned back. Sadly, here in zone 6-probably-B, I have had the same experience with Mutabilis. When we first bought the house, I believed the zone 6 myth and bought it. I lucked out with a couple of very warm winters, and it grew huge. But then we had a "real" winter which killed it dead. I tried again, this time with an own root that I have been babying along for years, protecting heavily every winter. But its tiny, as it still dies back every winter (and by tiny I mean like 3 inches tall) and I'm coming to the conclusion that I should probably just give up on it. Its really never going to amount to anything here, and I'm kind of wasting my time and effort on it.

I've tried it here too; this "will" be it's third growing season with me and I suspect it may have finally given up the ghost as it had no live cane at all this spring. I will leave it to see if it returns from the roots (own-root) though.

I had mine in the most southern and protected site near the foundation for a additional radiated ground warmth.

Alas; climates of cold and snow are a sentence of certain doom for these warm climate lovelies.

Steven

You might research 'Flutterbye'; on HMF it just gives the default zone listing, which we all know is sketchy, lol. It's a Tom Carruth rose, so it was bred in CA, but you never know. A lot depends on its ancestry, and one of its parents is derived from R. soulieana, which is hardy to Z4. The other parent is Playboy, which isn't notoriously hardy, only to Z6b.

The flowers have somewhat the same effect as mutabilis, with the same changing hues, the petals just a tad more ruffled; but the foliage is definitely "glossy modern". I've seen it, but never grown it, but it has found itself on my want list more than once.

FLUTTERBYE

What about Bermuda Kathleen? It's supposed to be a seedling of Mutabilis, looks a great deal like it, but HMF rates it a whole zone hardier to 6b.

Bermuda Kathleen

I know how you feel somewhat. I have the climate for Mutabilis, but not the space. Someone needs to find a dwarf or mini version of that one.

Thank you for the suggestions. They don't seem quite as fabulous color-wise, but may have to suffice. I was thinking of trying fish emulsifier or epsom salts to jumpstart any roots that may still be alive?

Perhaps some dilute alfalfa tea.