Big, strong, upright grower, vigorous and productive. Strong, sweet fragrance. Thrips.

I agree with hoov, but would like to add that my FM is also wide, as well as fairly tall--about 7X7 feet, blooms a lot, and has a scent that is one of my favorite. The downside is, indeed, thrips are a problem periodically, plus it spots in rain some. Since we have little rain, that doesn't factor in much. I think it's a darn good rose with lovely blooms. Diane

Diane,
7x7!!! Oh, my... I will need to re-measure. I know that we get thrips, but they are not a major problem? Is there a specific time of year or conditions that they prefer?

Lynn

They vanish as soon as the heat arrives, so should not be as much of a problem for you as they are here. Yes, FM was as wide as it was tall. Big boy.

I've only had mine for about a year, and its still in a pot. I don't think its altogether happy there, because he has only just started putting out new growth- I didn't get a spring flush at all. Or it could be FM needs heat to get going- the weathers been pretty loopy. He bloomed right through the heat and into early winter last year . The perfume is just lovely.
It was re released as "the children's rose" here a few years back, and was on all the recommended to grow lists. He does get big- I saw a bed of them at the state rose garden last year in early summer, and they were great blooming monsters.! Pic is from there.

Buy a lopper. The canes are very thick and its difficult to prune him with pruning shears. Marvelous rose in the southeast.

I bought mine as a body bag grafted plant from Home Depot. It is a vigorous small tree here with great rebloom even though it is bs prone. It's beautiful and fragrant!

How domyou get rid of the thrips?

I must be the only oddball that didn't like its scent. To me it smelled like green grass. Weird, huh?

Carol