p.s. I searched the Bonsai Forum and found no mention of roses as a Bonsai plant.

Three days & no responses from this imaginative group???

I cross-posted on Boansai and got one response. I think the response is worth posting here for anyone who may have given the idea even the slightest consideration.

"* Posted by: mark_rockwell 7 Va (My Page) on Mon, Feb 2, 04 at 9:00

Skip the hybrid "sissy" rose bushes and the mini roses ;-) You want a monster that has to be tamed for rose bonsai. Stick to the good old naturalized multiflora rose. The specific varieties won't take to the necessary root pruning and fast draiing soil as well as the multiflora weed. They also aren't as fast growing (which is a necessary trait to develop a bonsai). Mini rose, in particular, is a slow growing dwarf that will take a very long time to develop into a nice bonsai.

The best way to get a rose for bonsai use is to dig up a very very old one and top chop it down to bonsai size, then regrow the branching. I have a large 6-7 inch diameter wild collected multiflora as a bonsai. Have had it for several years, after it was dug from a field where it had grown 30 feet up a telephone pole. One afternoon in Spring, it was chopped down to two feet and had its root ball reduced to fit into a five gallon bucket, then left to regenerate for a year or two. Bonsai soil was used. Potting sol is inappropriate.

It is very hardy, but it tends to die back after hard pruning--I suspect because of the small area available for roots. It is very tolerant of root pruning."

A Google search did not find much practical info, but did yield some inspiration...

Note:You can still veiw photo without downloading Japanese charater fonts!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bonsai Rose

Thanks for the link. the only picture I found on the web is from a bonsai business in NY selling what look like poorly pruned mini roses for $25 a piece.

R. Multiflora is what the Japanese have typically used for bonsai, although I also saw a pic of a r. roxburghii bonsai. The ARS has a set of slides (poor condition), on rose bonsai, but it involves mini roses not ful size. You're right, there's darn little info around. There are 2 articles in the American rose Annual over the years, when I get a little less busy next week I'll dig them out and post them on the Rhode Island Rose Society website (http://rirs.org)and tell you.

sorry for my terrible english.. I'm italian..
you can find some information in this web site:
http://www.mini-bonsai.com/hyousie/
rose wichuraiana and rugosa are indicated as possible rose bonsai in this site (page 2)
http://www.semencesdupuy.com/page.php?pa=liste&la=2&ncat=339&x=21&y=7

Grazie Amanda. Molta Bella!

Ciao,
Althea

Herres a good example:

Here is a link that might be useful: Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai -Rose

Thanks GreenLarry.

I've decided to try a rugosa for my first Bonsai. I'll post pictures when it starts to look good.

Any progress on the bonsai rose front?

I was thinking about this the other day as well, walking through the garden admiring the ancient gnarly looking trunks.

Burlington roses in CA sell "micro-mini-roses" which stays small forever.