Well, not to be too mean spirited, but, yes, it is a dumb question (your words, not mine). It means just exactly what it says - they are growing on their own roots; they are NOT grafted onto the root stock of another plant. Most roses that you will find in a nursery today are grafted onto Dr. Huey, Multiflora, or some other root stock. Own root roses are growing on their own roots which makes them true, and not suceptible to winter kill or suckering from the host stock. Sometimes, after a few years, in the ground, grafted roses will revert, that is to say, the garfted tops will die, and the root stock will continue to grow and produce an entirely different rose then the one you originally purchased. If there is die back of the top of an own root rose due to cold winter temps, the rose will come back from its roots and be true. I hope you unuderstand this now. I do not fault you for asking what you felt was a dumb question, because asking questions is how we learn. Oh, and never apologise for asking.

To that excellent answer, I might just add that "own-root" roses are often smaller when purchased than a big ol' honkin' thing grafted on 'Dr. Huey.'
Given a bit of patience, however, they will eventually make just as big and full a plant as their budded counterpart -- and probably a longer-lived plant, too.

Jeri

As somebody who grow roses in your area of the world, avoid own-root roses like the plague. At least until you have a much better idea of what you are looking for from roses. Almost all of them will fall into one of two categories. Either they will be extremely poor performers because they just don't have the vigor to replace the winterkill, or they will be too vigorous, sucker, and eat your garden.

I don't know about Massachusetts, but around here, it means "on the way." For example, "When I was own root to the Post Office. . . ."

NOT a dumb question at all!!!! I never heard the expression until I started rose gardening.

LOL michaelg. It reminds me of John Steinbeck describing his Texas in-laws accents in 'Travels With Charley', which goes something like :

"Dya have a pin?"
"A safety pin or a straight pin?"
"No, I aount a fountain pin."

Now don't mock me and my people. We can't even hear, much less produce, the difference between "pin" and this "pen" that, I am sure, exists only in the realm of theory.

However, dialogue should read:

"I ont-me one-nem fountain pins."