I would say yes. This ticks almost all the checkboxes for RRD: witches broom, red new growth that doesnt green up, deformed leaves and flowers. The only thing missing is hyperthorniness - at least I didn’t see it in the pictures shared. I would bag and remove immediately.

I‘m afraid I can‘t help on replacements - I would probably do panicle hydrangeas (Limelight or little lime or similar) but I’m in the PNW and have no experience with Texas gardening and what works well there. I know I’ve seen other TX folks with panicle hydrangeas so it might be worth looking into.

Thanks for your reply! And yes, it it thornier than the others. Some of the branches last summer were nearly covered in thorns. So far this summer, the thorns are just bigger and wicked.

100%, without a doubt, RRD.

I’m in D/FW and had to get rid of all of my KOs and Drift roses two years ago. I tried nursing them, and cutting out infected areas (almost daily!), but ultimately they couldn’t be saved.

I’d consider replacing with one of the dwarf Abelias. I’ve had many different types and they thrive in our harsh conditions. The flowers aren’t flashy, but the leaves on certain varieties are pretty … and butterflies and bees love them. There’s literally no drawback — easiest keepers of anything in my beds. I love them. :)

They aren’t totally evergreen in our winters, but don’t completely lose their leaves. And they stayed happy and healthy during that awful winter of ’21 and the brutal heat of last summer — I lost other usually-tough plants I’d never before had issues with.

Another suggestion is Texas Sage ‘Compact’. Mine have stayed around 5 ft.

Good luck with whatever you choose! Your house is so beautiful.

ETA: I don’t think Panicle Hydrangea would do well for you, as ime they prefer more acidic soil. They thrive in Dallas/Houston and farther eastern areas of Texas. I’ve never had any luck with them in my alkaline soil, but ymmv. Just ask around at local nurseries to be sure.

Classic rose rosette disease symptoms. Follow all the protocols, mainly removing the bushes, ASAP. Very sorry for your troubles. I've had two much beloved bushes, a Lady Ashe (climber), and a Quietness, destroyed by this nasty virus just recently. I know what you are going through, especially the question, "Should I replace the roses with roses, especially since the chance of them becoming infected is a reality in the future.

I suggest Crape Myrtle, a short variety. They love the heat, have low water needs once established, and have few if any insect or disease issues.

Moses

Oh, good Lord, I am so sorry.

I am dealing with the same situation now on a Sweet Drift which I took out. The verdict was not quite as definite as yours, and if yes, it was an earlier stage - but it is maddening how this thing is spreading everywhere.

I used to think it was rare ("it would never happen to me" -type thinking) and it is frustrating that I can't do a single thing to prevent in addition to what I have already been doing.

I also cannot uproot all of my other roses just bc I suspect something on one.

Terrible thing - somebody please find the cure for THIS rose cancer.

This might be a stupid question, but, is the risk of getting RRD increased by buying potting roses vs bare root? Does knowing the practices of the grower you buy from reduce the risk at all?

I hope a rose expert will weigh in. I did a lot of reading about it since my part of the country got hit so hard.

In 2015, it wiped out the beloved rose gardens at The Fort Worth Botanic Garden. I visited right after they removed every single rose bush in the garden — which had been there since the 1930s. It was awful.

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article27534709.html

It’s spread in the air by mites, so I don’t think buying bare root vs potting matters. All that matters is if a rose bush is infected. And that’s the kicker — you can’t see the mites.

There’s no rhyme or reason to it — mine and several on my street had it hit, yet my next door neighbor hasn’t been hit at all. All of the roses around her swimming pool are thriving and gorgeous.

I’ve just decided I can’t risk it until there’s a cure or some sort of treatment.

Thanks for explaining that. Are there certain parts of the country or certain states where it has been prevalent? I'm just wondering what growers can do to protect themselves and lower their risk?

Do nurseries have to declare that they have had RRD on their roses and had to get rid of them?

Jilly, do you mean you've stopped growing roses, or stopped buying them?

Prairiemom, both … it’s still just too risky now in my area. I don’t currently have any roses.

If you want to have a few roses (5 or 6?) you could buy a screened in cage that zips/unzips and put some in there. The mites couldn't get through the mesh...I don't think anyway.

A huge thank you to everyone who weighed in. I am working on getting the bushes removed and am looking at ideas for non rose replacements. The deadheading of the roses in the multiple 100 day heat of an Austin summer was not something I enjoyed so will replace with something less demanding of my time in the heat.

That sounds like a good solution for you. :) There are so many beautiful varieties of plants. :)

I used to live in Plano (near Dallas) some colorful plants that were good in a Texas summer would include

Hardy Hibiscus

Canna

Crape Myrtles do very well too, there are some dwarf varieites that max out at 3-6 ft.

Collin County where I lived had declared itself ’The RRD Epicenter of the World’, largely due to unattended public and commercial plantings of Knock Outs. I did maintain a big rose garden but it took judicious monitoring for RRD and spraying for fungal disease. Probably ore work than most would want to invest

Ben that is a beautiful raised bed. I should do something like that in front. Hubby cant seem to quit side-swiping the roses in front of the house for some reason. A few baby ones got completely mowed off :/ I've taken to calling him, Mr. Magoo and told him that from now on, I am going to mow the front and he can do the back lol.

I have 3 Dwarf Crepe Myrtles. They have blackish purple leaves. 2 have hot coral-pink flowers and 1 has white flowers. I really like them. I think they will look neat in the fall with their dark dramatic leaves against other fall colors.

Some of the Hardy Hibiscus now have dark leaves too. Midnight Marvel, Mars Madness, Dark Mystery, & Perfect Storm are a few.

This year, I bought a new one called Summer Carnival. It has variegated cream & green leaves edged with pink! The buds are also variegated. The flower is a hot pink/ magenta. I also got Lilac Crush & Blackberry Merlot.

Ben - such beauty in every garden you create...happy, happy sigh. :)

Sultry - lol...Mr. Magoo. :) :)