Rose Trees - Add drama to your home’s landscaping
A rose tree is a beautiful and colorful addition to your garden. Planted by nobles in the days of old, rose trees are elegant and will add drama to your home’s landscaping.
Rose trees, also known as Rose Standards, are different from shrubs because the are cultivated to look like a tree. A rose tree generally consists only of a plain, long, slender cane about 1 meter long, which is free of any foliage, but from which a plethora of rose flowers springs out. Essentially, there are two grafts that make the tree: one at the top of the central cane to provide support for the hybrid tea, floribuna or grad flora and the other at the rootstock.
A miniature rose tree, which is created in a similar manner, has a central cane that is only approximately 24 inches. But, whether your rose tree is regular-sized or miniature, you should expect to see a unique, lollipop shaped rose as the end result.
The central cane of rose trees must be staked to support the weight of the grafted rose on top. This is especially important in windy areas. Tree roses are especially susceptible to sun scald on the central cane and you can protect them from this by keeping the central cane shaded. Otherwise, tree roses must be cared for as you would care for your shrub roses.
Rose trees are sensitive to the cold, and need special care in winter. While preparing for winter with regular roses only requires a layer of mulch around the base of the tree, rose trees require mulch to be placed all the way up the cane. This can be achieved by a container placed around the cane made from wire mesh and then filling that container with mulch, or more radically, relocating the rose tree altogether during winter.
For rose trees to look their best, you must regularly prune the trees as well as provide proper seasonal care. Only the top part of the tree should ever be pruned - never prune the central cane. Pruning incorrectly will make the roses more vulnerable to disease and the roses may not evenly grow on the tree, causing breakages around the stems due to excessive weight.
There are several different types of rose trees. The ‘weeping’ rose tree, also a popular choice which overflows with brilliant roses that cascade to the ground. A particular version of this tree, the Roseberry Blanket Weeping Tree Rose blossoms with large fuschia blooms. The Yellow Ribbons Double Decker is an elegant and beautiful addition to any garden. The latest species to hit the market is the ‘double decker’ rose tree, which gets its name due to its two layers of flowers. The first layer is at the top, with the second layer being lower to the ground (but not low enough to be considered ground covering).
Although Rose Trees need a bit more care, the attention they’ll receive when they’re grown and in full bloom is all worth it. They’ll add height to your garden and add lots of color over your entire landscape.