EXTREME experiment with roses under tree

12 years ago

We have a truly gigantic Scarlet Oak tree in our front garden - it is at least 5 stories tall. Anyway, I have always wanted to have Fortune's Double Yellow, but all of the spaces in the sun with a large enough structure to climb on were already taken.

One day when out bicycling with my DH, we came across a FDY growing up and over several trees in an old park - with obviously no care. It was in full bloom and breathtaking. Looking more closely at the plant, it was totally healthy. I managed to root two cuttings from it, but what to do with them?

I once saw a FDY climbing way way up a large oak tree (not as large or dense as mine, however) at Pam's. It was blooming fine.

So, I decided on an experiment. We planted both tiny rooted cuttings at the base of our Scarlet Oak, obviously in full shade. The first year, one grew another 6 inches, and the other one just sat there - I thought it would die. The next Spring the first one produced 4 tiny blooms - as if it had been a bonsai - the other one did not bloom. After mostly sitting still for 4 years, this past Spring they both started to put on height, and for the first time they both put out some blooms. Amazing. My DH got some metal fence posts and leaned them up against the tree - both roses immediately put on about 12 inches more in height.

Here is a picture showing about the bottom fourth of the oak tree, and the bed at the bottom with the roses. I will post another more close-up picture of them next. So, I have now got great hopes for the future of these roses!

The next time a newbie asks questions on here about whether or not it is possible to grow a rose close to a tree trunk in deep shade, think of these....

Jackie

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Comments (8)

jacqueline9CA
Original Author
12 years ago
Here is a closer look at the roses - not great yet, but they started out 3 inches tall! I have high hopes for them (pun intended)!

Jackie
User
12 years ago
Ho, my Paul's Himalayan Musk looks absolutely identical.....I am regarding it as a triumph of hope over experience..............and since there are another 300 or so trees waiting to be clothed......it had better work.

But look how green and happy yours look.
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catsrose
12 years ago
I have a number of roses, including the Musk rose and Crepuscle, growing in the shade of an ancient white oak. They all to get either morning or afternoon sun, but no mid-day sun.
jacqueline9CA
Original Author
12 years ago
"Triumph of hope over experience" - that is exactly what it is! I look forward to hearing/seeing how your PHM does - a woods with lots of trees covered in huge roses is my idea of Paradise.

Catsrose - my oak tree is deciduous, so in the WInter the roses get more light, but still hardly any sun. I am looking forward to next Spring, to see what they do. Will try and remember to post pictures.

Jackie
brenda_l_w
12 years ago
Thanks for sharing Jackie. Fortune's Double Yellow is one of those roses I love but have to enjoy places other than my own yard. To see it in bloom at the Empire Mine in Grass Valley is beautiful.
hartwood
12 years ago
This is great! I love it when an experiment works out the way we hope.

I have 'Alexandre Girault' planted on my rambler fence between two tall spindly Black Walnut trees. During the season, when the walnut trees have leaves, this rose gets NO direct sun at all. The winter sun it gets must be enough to give it what it needs, because it blooms beautifully every year. I am planning to train it into the walnut trees and see what happens.

Sometimes it's best to experiment, instead of playing it safe and by-the-book all the time.
nippstress - zone 5 Nebraska
12 years ago
Ah, what a great idea - to put those loose metal stakes for the roses to climb on! I've been similarly experimenting with roses under our massive burr oak tree in the back yard. I had been wondering how to rig up a climbing mechanism around a tree whose trunk takes two people to circle it with their arms, and this looks like a good solution without being a massive structure. So far, I have a New Dawn, Secret Garden Musk Climber, Pinkie, cl., and a few others that seem to have established well in 2-3 years, and look about ready to climb. Thanks so much for the picture and the encouragement to let vision trump common sense a little!

Cynthia
jacqueline9CA
Original Author
12 years ago
Cynthia - yes, it was my DH's idea to use fence stakes. At the moment they are just resting against the tree. They were just put there temporarily to give the roses some way to get over to the trunk. When the roses get taller (when, not if!) we will probably put some screw eyes directly into the tree trunk and remove the fence posts - the first branches, as you can see in the first pic, are 15 feet off the ground, so it will take the roses a while to get up to where they can use those to climb on.

Jackie