66-09-04

Two years ago I was in conversation with David Zlesak and lamenting the fact that Ralph Moore's famous 0-47-19, although a good breeder for many purposes, tended to produce a vast majority of pink or white seedlings. (Out of the small percentage of repeat bloomers it bred: more than 2/3 are once blooming) David suggested that I try his Polyantha shrub 'Candy Oh Vivid Red' on 0-47-19, as he felt that it could impart better color. As a bonus, it was a confirmed diploid (as was 0-47-19) and so I could establish a remontant diploid line out of R. wichurana, hopefully in red. Well, clever fellow that he is, David's hunch was right; 66-09 has indeed produced a handful of good rich red seedlings. The selection displayed here is one of about 5 that have very rich coloring. All selections so far have been 5 petaled, which isn't surprising considering the parentage. All have glossy Wichurana style foliage and most have a distinct Musk scent. (No sweet component whatsoever)

At this point I am visualizing these selections as breeding specimens only, but who knows. Perhaps one or two of these will mature to have excellent garden-worthiness properties, in which case they may become candidates for release. I;ll post photos of some of the siblings as they mature.

This cross was made with the goals of creating a breeding stock plant that was 1) a diploid, 2) well pigmented in the red range, 3) exhibited many of the R. wichurana traits such as disease resistance, attractive foliage, abundance of bloom and ease of propagation. With any luck, some or all of these criteria will be found in this seedling, or one of its siblings.

I cannot comment on the mature growth habit of the shrub. That is to be determined in the next 24 months. I list this as a diploid seedling since both parents are confirmed diploids. It is unlikely that it is anything but a diploid.

45-03-08: a Wichurana shrub.

Something I really like about some of my R. wichurana hybrids: generally they are very easy to propagate from cuttings. On August 7th I struck about 35 cuttings of the above hybrid and today they are fully rooted and ready to pot up. Thats just shy of 13 days. I just inspected these a few moments ago and I'm guessing that these could have been ready for potting up two or three days ago, so rooting may have happened in 10 days. What could be better than that?!

This is a small shrub about 2.5 X 2.5 feet, almost constantly in flower with clusters of 2" old fashioned blooms that open peachy and age to cream/white. Blooms have the typical Wichurana "apple" scent. Disease resistance is excellent, although it will get some Blackspot when disease pressure is extreme. I know little about its Winter hardiness since my climate doesn't really allow me to test for that. Parentage is 0-47-19 X 'Crepuscule'. It is a sister seedling to the Wichurana Ramber 'Mel's Heritage'.

42-03-02

42-03-02 = (R. wichurana X 'Floradora') X (R. wichurana X 'Floradora')

As the years pass, you discover seedlings that grab your attention for one reason or another. Perhaps one stands out as very different from its siblings, or one might have an architecture feature you like, or superior disease resistance. While it might not be immediately apparent what purpose such a seedling might serve, it is wise to hang on to it and culture it and wait for its purpose to be revealed. I know that sounds a bit too mystical to be appropriate for something as systematic and planned as rose hybridizing, but the concept has meaning.

Take 42-03-02 illustrated here, for example. It is a selfing of the Moore breeder 0-47-19. It bears a striking resemblance to the Moore Hybrid Wichurana except that it has deeper coloring and is a 2.5 foot rounded shrub, always in flower. As its parent is a known diploid, I am assuming this is also and so I now use it in breeding specifically to further diploid breeding lines. It accepts a wide range of pollens and makes seed with about 50% viability in most cases. Testing the limits of its ability this year, I put some strikingly dissimilar pollens on it, including a 'Schneezwerg' F2 seedling and 'Scabrosa'. I have also used my R. foliolosa on it, and all of these pollens have resulted in healthy, fat hips.

My recommendation to breeders is that when a seedling grabs your attention for some reason, pay attention. It might prove to be a stepping stone at some point down the line, It might not tell you what its purpose is today, but it might turn out to be meaningful in a few years time and you'll be glad you kept it.

L83 by Svejda

L83 is listed as a Hybrid kordesii, created at the Canadian Experimental Agriculture Farm (aka AgCan) circa 1988. Its parentage is listed as R. kordesii X a 'Max Graf' derivative. This makes it a combination of only two species: R. wichurana and R. rugosa.

About as far from being a romantic name as you can get, L83 is potentially a very valuable breeding plant. Although it was not introduced into commerce, it has been exchanged from hybridizer to hybridizer over the years solely for the purpose of breeding new Winter hardy, disease free roses. These qualities it passes on quite readily. It also tends to pass on excellent, glossy foliage and superior vigor. Plants are a mix of climbers and shrubs, and many have very good repeat bloom. Unfortunately it is difficult to get it to breed any colors but pinks, but with perseverance it is possible. (See link to 77-07-23 below)

Noteable hybrids from L83 includes 'AC Marie Victorin, 'George Vancouver', 'Prairie Celebration', 'Rosy Vision', 'Irma', and 'Louis Jolliet'. I also have a number of seedlings currently being grown and evaluated, the most attractive so far being 77-07-23, a brilliant red cluster flowering shrub. Read more about it on HMF

More info available about L83 here on HMF

Pollen available during the Spring blooming season, submit a comment if you want any.