The moss rose is one of the old rose varieties and is something very special. We present the most beautiful varieties and show what you should consider when planting and caring for moss roses in pots and in the garden.
The moss rose is one of the historic roses and has been cultivated in our gardens for a long time. Characteristic and eponymous are their moss-like glands on the infructescence, flower stalks and sepals.
Moss rose: origin and properties
The Moss Rose (Rosa x centifolia 'Muscosa') is a European historical rose. It originated around 1700 as a mutation from various other centifolia - a group of roses with double ("hundred-petalled") flowers. The moss rose is particularly popular in cottage gardens. It grows as a strong, large shrub and reaches heights of around 1.2 m to 2 m. Its growth spread is around 0.7 to 1 m. Most moss rose varieties flower once. Between June and July, individual flowers with an intense, sweet scent bloom on their overhanging shoots. The flowers of the moss rose are hemispherical and filled. They usually appear in different shades of pink, but there are also varieties with white or purple-red flowers. The green, slightly shiny leaves of the moss rose are alternate and have an elliptical shape. The infructescence, flower stalks and sepals of the moss rose are studded with fine glands. This creates the impression of a delicate moss covering. This property gave the moss rose its name. The mossy parts of the plant have a spicy, resinous smell.
Mossrose Varieties
Over the course of time, new varieties of moss roses have been bred, which differ in the color of the flowers and sometimes also in the growth height. In addition to the original pink moss rose, there are also white, violet, purple or even multicolored varieties.
Popular moss rose varieties are:
′Old Pink Moss′: Probably the oldest moss rose; pink, double flowers;very hardy; Height: approx. 2 m.
′Alfred de Dalmas′: flowers white to creamy pink; intense fragrance; hardy; Height: 1 - 1.5 m.
′Shailer's White Moss′: White, densely double flowers; very strongly fragrant; very hardy; Height: approx. 1.5 m.
′Catherine de Württemberg′: Large, very double pink to dark pink flowers; very hardy; Height: about 1 m.
′Nuits de Young′: Considered the darkest moss rose variety; black-red, double flowers; good smelling; very hardy; Height: 1 - 1.5 m.
′Madame Moreau′: Multicolored variety with crimson pink and white striped, double flowers; fragrant; very hardy; Height: approx. 1.5 m.
Planting moss roses in pots and in the garden
Moss roses prefer a sunny to half-shady, airy location. The soil should be slightly loamy and rich in humus. With heavy soils, some sand can be mixed in to increase permeability. On the other hand, manure or compost should be worked in on very light soils. The moss rose can also be planted in a pot on the balcony or terrace. Our peat-free Plantura organic potting soil is ideal for this. In order to give the moss rose a good start into the vegetation phase, one or two fertilizer applications should be carried out in spring between March and April. Ideally, you should choose a predominantly organic fertilizer such as our Plantura Organic Rose Fertilizer. This reliably supplies your roses with all the important nutrients. Work the fertilizer lightly into the top layer of soil to increase its effectiveness. After fertilizing, you should also water extensively.
Tip: Diseases and pests in roses are a big issue because they destroy the splendor of the flower queen all too easily. If you want to prevent this, make sure the soil is well prepared when planting and ensure he althy and hardy roses with regular, high-quality fertilizers.
For more information and helpful expert tips on planting roses, visit our special article on planting roses.
Pruning and caring for moss roses
If the moss rose has grown well in the garden and has established itself at its location, it only needs to be supplied with additional water if the drought persists. Potted moss roses, on the other hand, need to be watered more frequently because they evaporate more quickly. When watering, make sure that the foliage remains dry, otherwise the risk of fungal infestation increases.
Moss roses should be betweenMarch and May experienced a pruning. Firstly, deadwood must be removed. Cut dry, frozen wood close to where it meets he althy wood, or at the base if necessary. On the other hand, thin and diseased shoots must be removed. Otherwise, they rob the he althy and stronger shoots of the power to bloom. Cut them off completely at the base of the plant or at their origin on a sturdier shoot. In addition, shoots that are too dense should be thinned out. In the case of shoots that are very close together, always remove the one that is growing weaker or growing in an unfavorable direction. In this way, the air circulation in the rose bush can be improved, so that rose diseases are prevented. In addition to the annual basic pruning, densely growing or lazy shoots can be removed at the base as required. You can read all the important steps in detail in our special article on pruning roses.
Propagating Mossroses
Mossroses can be propagated in different ways. Through vegetative propagation, for example via cuttings, you create a "clone" whose properties correspond exactly to those of the mother plant. In the case of generative propagation via seeds, the genetic material is mixed, which means that the characteristics of the offspring can hardly be predicted. You can find out what you need to propagate roses and how to do it in our special article on propagating roses.
See our feature articles for more information on rose planting and rose care, as well as the variety of rose types and varieties.