The rose is probably one of the most beautiful and popular flowers in the world. Here's everything you need to know about the flower queen in the garden.
Together with other genera, roses (Rosa) form the large family of rose plants (Rosaceae). Their close relatives include fruit trees such as apple (Malus) and pear (Pyrus), but also strawberries (Fragaria). ), raspberries (Rubus idaeus) and blackberries (Rubus fruticosus). Typically, roses have five petals. Breeding and crossing with other species mean that there are now numerous varieties with double or single flowers in many different colors and shapes. Botanically speaking, rose plants do not have thorns, as the Brothers Grimm claim in one of their famous fairy tales, but prickles. Nowadays, however, there are already some thornless varieties that make caring for roses a lot easier.
If you don't have your own rose yet, you should now consider getting one. With the large selection of rose varieties that the specialist trade offers, you will certainly find what you are looking for. Below we explain what you need to consider when planting, caring for and propagating roses.
Rose: meaning and origin
Fossils have been found proving that roses existed more than 25 million years ago. The rose was given the title "Queen of Flowers" by the Greek poet Sappho around the year 600 BC. Chr. Roses originally came from Persia, where they were used as medicine. Later, in ancient Rome, they were also used as decoration for festivals and were imported from Egypt in unimaginable quantities.
Today, roses grow in almost every garden and play a leading role in every florist's shop because of their beautiful flowers. Cosmetics, in turn, have taken a liking to rose oil and rose water extracted from the plant. Rose oil was once even more valuable than gold. In wholesale, a liter of real Bulgarian rose oil costs up to 10,000 euros - which is hardly surprising, after all, you need it for the productionAmount about 5,000 kilograms of rose petals.
Rose types and varieties
In botany, the rose is divided into different types. Colloquially, however, individual types of roses are often combined into groups or classes according to their properties or their use. The old roses, also known as historical roses, only include those varieties that were cultivated before 1867. Among the first modern roses were the hybrid teas (or tea hybrids), which were crossed from Chinese tea roses and European remontant roses. Depending on the growth form, a distinction is made between bed roses, shrub roses, ground cover roses and climbing roses. Thanks to modern plant breeding, however, there are now also small dwarf roses and aromatic scented roses, as well as standard roses that have been grafted and look like a small rose tree.
In the following we would like to introduce you to some selected types of roses:
- Hybrid 'Gloria Dei'
Best-selling hybrid tea in the world; has yellow, densely filled flowers with a light fragrance; blooming often; easy-care and robust variety with good winter hardiness; reaches a height of 70 to 100 cm
- Hybrid Rose 'Ascot'
Has bright purple flowers; strongly fragrant; blooming often; compact growth; suitable for pot cultivation; high leaf he alth; inspires with long-lasting flowers
- Shrub Rose 'Feuerwerk'
Has semi-double, fiery orange flowers with a delicate scent; blooming often; grows upright and reaches heights of up to 150 cm; suitable for hedge planting
- Shrub rose 'Schneewittchen'
Has semi-double, white flowers with a delicate scent; lush flowers from June to September; wide, upright growth with overhanging shoots; reaches heights of growth of up to 120 cm; extremely hardy
- Climbing rose 'New Dawn'
Delights us with loosely double flowers in creamy pink; blooms from June to October; pleasant scent of Gravenstein apple; fast-growing with long, overhanging shoots; trellis required; reaches heights of up to 300 cm; very robust
- Climbing Rose 'Golden Showers'
Has semi-double yellow flowers; blooming often; upright, bushy growth; reaches heights of growth of up to 250 cm; suitable for rose arches; also tolerates partially shaded locations;good leaf he alth
- Potato rose (Rosa rugosa)
One of the wild roses; makes single, deep pink flowers; undemanding and pruning compatible; Shoots are covered with many spines; very robust and hardy; suitable for hedge planting
You can find a comprehensive collection of different types of roses for every purpose here.
Buy roses
Only strong, he althy roses will grow well and delight you with a rich bloom. Unfortunately, however, some rose varieties are very susceptible to fungal diseases and pest infestation. Therefore, you should already pay attention to possible signs of diseases when buying. If you want to be on the safe side from the start, choose particularly robust varieties. You will usually get very good advice on this in rose or tree nurseries. We have summarized what else you need to consider when buying roses in our special article.
Plant Roses
Roses have special requirements for their location. In the following, we will explain exactly what they look like and what else you need to consider when planting roses.
The right place to plant roses
A sunny, airy spot in a sheltered location is ideal for your roses. The soil they grow best in is deep, loose, and rich in nutrients. To avoid heat build-up in summer, however, you should not plant roses too close to a house wall and also ensure that there is sufficient distance to other plants to avoid competition for nutrients. If the soil becomes "rose-tired" after a few years, you should plant the site with other ornamental plants - such as marigolds (Tagetes patula) - before growing roses again and wait a few years before planting again .
When to plant roses?
You can buy roses in containers all year round. However, the best time to plant new roses is in autumn (October/November) so that they have enough time to take root over the winter. In areas with a harsher climate, roses can also be planted in the spring, but they must then be watered particularly well when they begin to sprout.
You can find a comprehensive article on the subject of "planting roses" here.
Planting roses in pots and tubs
Smaller varieties of roses are wonderfulbe planted in a pot or tub, provided that this offers enough space for the deep-rooting plant. Since potted roses do not tolerate waterlogging, it is best to first put a drainage layer of gravel or expanded clay in the planter so that excess water can drain off. Then fill it with special soil from the trade or a mixture of garden, compost and potting soil. Once the rose has been planted, place the pot or tub in a sunny, airy spot on the balcony or patio. But don't forget to water the rose regularly from now on so that it doesn't dry out. Detailed instructions for planting pot roses and other care instructions can be found here.
Create rose arch
An arched trellis only becomes a real eye-catcher when climbing roses overgrow it. Even before creating a rose arch, however, some aspects should be considered - such as selecting a weather-resistant material and firmly anchoring it in the ground. The location should not only please the gardener, but also the rose, which should grow vigorously and produce many flowers. How you can create your own rose arch is explained in detail in our special article.
Propagating Roses
If you haven't had enough of the flower queen, you can propagate your garden and cut roses yourself in various ways. Growing small rose plants from the seeds of the rose hips is probably the most laborious. Fortunately, some rose varieties can also be reproduced very well from cuttings and sticks. With their long shoots, climbing and rambler roses can even be propagated using sinkers. Grafted plants are often commercially available, but this method requires expertise and a lot of practice to be able to carry it out successfully. Information about which propagation method is suitable for which roses and detailed instructions on how to carry it out can be found here.
Care for roses
Only a rose that feels completely good will please you with many blossoms. Therefore, we have summarized the most important points for rose care for you below - from watering and fertilizing to the right winter storage. You can also find a detailed article on the topic of "Caring for Roses" here.
Watering the roses
Roses should be watered regularly, especially in the beginning. But it is also on hot summer daysEnsure that older plants are adequately watered. You can tell the right time to water roses by finger testing, because the soil should always be moist but not wet. Especially when cultivating in pots, you should make sure that the roses do not sink into waterlogging. Here you will find a special article on the subject of "watering roses".
Fertilize roses
Roses are very consuming plants and should therefore be fertilized regularly. It is best to use a fertilizer with an organic long-term effect, such as our Plantura organic rose fertilizer. This is slowly broken down by the microorganisms in the soil and provides your rose with sufficient nutrients over a longer period of time. A first application of fertilizer can be done in spring (March/April) to support the rose when it sprout again. A second fertilization is then recommended at the beginning of the flowering phase at the end of May. Rose varieties that bloom more often also receive a final fertilization during the main bloom in early July to provide the plant with sufficient nutrients for the second secondary bloom. How to proceed correctly when fertilizing roses is explained in detail in our special article.
Pruning Roses
In addition to an adequate supply of water and nutrients, the correct pruning is also important for optimal development of the rose. An annual basic cut is best done in spring (March/April) before new growth. Diseased and broken shoots can also be removed during the growing season. However, the pruning procedure varies somewhat depending on the variety of rose. Detailed instructions for pruning roses can be found here.
Winter roses
To ensure that your roses survive the winter well, you should take a few protective measures. First remove the old inflorescences and leaves as well as fallen leaves on the ground to prevent disease infestation. Then pile up the earth around the rose about 20 centimeters high and put fir green between the shoots. Special garden fleece for the crown and bamboo mats for the trunk are also available in specialist shops to insulate standard roses. In our special article you will find detailed step-by-step instructions so that nothing goes wrong when storing your roses over the winter.
Common diseases andPests on roses
If you notice a white coating on the leaves and buds of your roses, this is probably caused by powdery mildew (Erysiphales). Unfortunately, other fungal diseases - such as black spot (Diplocarpon rosae) or rose rust (Phragmidium) - are also very common on roses. In most cases, sucking and feeding damage is due to rose aphids (Macrosiphum rosae), leafhoppers (Edwardsiana rosae) or the larvae of the rose sawfly ( Caliora aethiops).
You can find more detailed information on rose rust, powdery mildew on roses and blackspot as well as suitable measures to combat them in the respective special articles.
We have prepared for you an overview of the most important rose diseases and pests with clear signs of damage to identify the unwelcome inhabitants.
Preserving and preserving roses
At the end of the year you might want to keep your favorite flowers in bloom for a longer period of time. Have you ever candied the petals of your roses in sugar syrup and then nibbled them? The simplest and best-known method of preserving roses over the long term is probably drying cut roses in an airy place. Unfortunately, this makes the flower very brittle and often changes its color. However, this is not the case with gentle drying with silica granules, which slowly removes moisture from the plant. Whole bouquets of flowers, in turn, can be preserved most simply with glycerin, which can be bought at the pharmacy. How you can preserve roses is explained in detail in our special article.