R. Pteragonis

R. Pteragonis is a primary hybrid between R. hugonis and R. sericea pteracantha, the latter being the well known 'Wingthorn Rose', grown for it's dramatic translucent red thorns. Pteragonis has certainly inherited the same thorn pattern from the sericea side of the family, and some of the yellow from hugonis, although it quickly pales to white when fully open. Pteragonis is quite hardy in all but the coldest of climates and makes for a striking addition to a landscape setting. Height 7 to 10 feet, architecture loose and vaguely V-shaped.

R. Pteragonis was bred in Germany in 1938 by Max Krause. My specimen came from Vintage Gardens, although I understand that they don't always have plants for sale. Best to call and inquire about availability.

R. 'Pteragonis'

"Pteragonis", a R. hugonis X R. sericea pteracantha hybrid by Max Krause, 1938. This was a gift from Gregg Lowery (Vintage Gardens) in 2009. I am attempting to use it in breeding, but without success so far. I think its just a matter of finding the right plant to mate it with. (I doubt modern China-derived hybrids are appropriate)

"Pteragonis" is very similar to R. sericea pteracantha, with the same ornate red thorns, but a larger flower in a pale butter yellow hue. It makes a very interesting specimen shrub with virtues that go far beyond that of an ordinary Spring blooming species hybrid.

For more info on "Pteragonis" see the HelpMeFind listing here.

Another misidentified species hybrid?

Several years ago I purchased a group of R. omeiensis from Lawyer Nursery in Montana. Their description and title of the plant was somewhat vague but it led me to believe these might be a form of R. sericea ptericantha, with its wide, bright red wing-like thorns. As these made some new growth it became apparent that these were not what I had hoped, but some variation on R. sericea that, for the most part, had very few thorns and the ones it did have were usually greenish in hue and not very prominent. The thorns you see in the photo are rare on these plants, and only this dark pink one makes reddish thorns; the other only greyish green. I gave most of these away and discarded what remained.

However, two individuals stood out among the group as being quite distinct. Both of these had denser foliage with more rounded, larger leaflets that were quite downy when young. Blooms come in clusters of three to a dozen at the axils along the canes and are pink with a white eye. Take a look at the shape of the receptacles in the lower left photo: tubular and elongated! There is a light, pungent musk-like scent to the blooms. Both plants have bluish canes when young and neither has ever set seed to my knowledge. Both are about 8 feet tall now, upright but arching from the top third or so. Neither gets Blackspot or Mildew.

I suspect these roses were all seed grown and the two I saved are conspicuously hybrids with something else they were growing in the field. Do any of you recognize any of this rose's features? Does it remind you of any other species?