141-09-02: un-named diploid Polyantha X 'Home Run'.
The rose used as a seed parent in this instance is a diploid Polyantha developed by David Zlesak and shared with me for breeding purposes. I don't have any record of its exact parentage, so I best not quote what I remember in case I'm wrong! The Zlesak Poly is a cluster flowering dwarf plant halfway between a Polyantha and a modern miniature in style, with clusters of 2" double, cupped crimson blooms bearing a pale, near-white reverse. To my nose, it offers a very respectable "fresh" scent. It is a very attractive little shrub and I hope David might consider it as a legitimate garden shrub of commercial value.
I used the "Z Poly" last year in conjunction with a number of other diploids with the goal of maintaining a strongly pigmented diploid line. I also included Carruth's 'Home Run' in the list of pollen parents, as it is a triploid and will presumably give both haploid and diploid pollen grains, and so this cross, 141-09, should include a mix of diploid and triploid offspring.
Many of the 141-09's were very good in terms of color, vigor and foliage. I selected about 15 seedlings for evaluation. Most are in shades of deep red or crimson, and most are singles or nearly single. All appear to be cluster blooming and many seem to have inherited much of the growth habit of 'Home Run', which I'm not altogether pleased with. (I find 'Home Run' to be a rather homely shrub as regards its architecture)
Next year the best of the 141-09's will go outside into the open garden to establish for disease resistance evaluation. This is a high priority matter with this group of seedlings, as I am determined to develop my own line of shrubs that carries near 100% immunity to "the big three" fungal diseases. We can hope, anyway.....
Paul, what do you mean by 'homely architecture'? As far as I know we don't have 'Home Run' here so I am only going by photos on HMF which don't really show the whole plant that well. Have you used 'My Stars' this year? Since you showed me this variety I think that is now my bench mark for healthy vigorous shrub roses and I have 'Playboy' on its way to work with some of the OP 'Carlin's Rhythm' and 'Commander Gillet' seedlings I have.
ReplyDeleteWell, I find 'Home Run' to be very angular and abrupt in its architecture: it builds branch-on-branch and the segments are all very stiff and rather aimless, resulting in an odd shrub with branching going every which way. It just looks like the plant doesn't know what it wants to be, in my opinion. Mine is three years old now and I feel that it just gets uglier with every season. It doesn't have any of the balance of its parent, 'Knockout'.
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