Does the rose nursery you ordered it from carry 'Climbing Duchesse de Brabant' ('Climbing Comtesse de Labarthe')?

My Duchesse is also growing this way, although it was in a large pot in a less than ideal location up a couple of weeks ago when I planted it out into the garden in a prime spot, right on the corner of my border, in early morning to late afternoon sun.( I purchased mine last year from ARE). I am hoping it would round out now that it is in the ground, but it is still in shock from the move so it's not doing anything . I didn't even know there was a climbing Duchesse de Brabant!

What you are describing sounds like the classic first growth pattern of a climbing tea rose - short, twiggy growth at first, and then later the long, stronger climbing canes emerge. HMF says the climbing version gets up to 13 feet, while the bush gets to 8. I have one which is a clone of an ancient one in our garden. It is about 8 feet tall after 7 years. Some people say that climbing roses won't bloom much until you let them get as tall as they think they ought to; but I have seen others say that they can magically keep climbing roses at a bush form by chopping. Personally, I would not try that, simply because it would take too much effort on my part. What I would do is let it grow without any pruning for at least 2 years, and see how tall it gets. That will answer the question of what rose you have. I love love, climbers, so I would keep it even if it was a climber.

Jackie

odinthor, I should have asked myself that question first. My rose is also from ARE and it does not list the climbing version. Since dingle describes her rose as having the same habit perhaps ARE has a different clone than the other two I had previously, one of which I know came from Chamblee's. I have a feeling that this may be a more vigorous rose or perhaps it's just in a better spot and is going to be larger even as a bush. In that case it's probably in the wrong spot. Historically my roses don't grow nearly as large as those described by others in a similar climate but without my poor soil and reflected heat. However, with the historical July rain that gave us approximately 1.3 inches I have the feeling that everything is going to leap into growth.

Jackie, I love climbers too but unfortunately have no room for one anywhere, the one available spot being taken up by Annie Laurie McDowell, who sits there proudly in her one foot tall glory as she has for the past two years. However, even she has perked up since the rain so there may be hope.

I do not believe that the climbing version of Duchesse de Brabant is available in the US. What you are describing is fairly typical for new tea growth. They send out some new basals that are taller than the rest of the plant, and it looks ungainly. The rest of the plant will eventually catch up. I have several teas that I propagated that have demonstrated the same growth pattern.

I agree. I should have mentioned that many large bush teas and Cl teas have the same initial growth patterns - exactly what jannorcal describes. So, I would still just keep it and see what it does over the next two years. I would not get focused on pruning it until then, when you will be able to see its natural growth pattern.

Jackie

I have indeed seen that growth pattern you mention on many of my teas but strangely enough not on the Duchesse and I think not on its sport, Mme. Joseph Schwartz. None of them were from ARE and that may be the explanation. I only took off about six inches so I don't think it will hurt the rose but will continue to pinch the new growth off the very top because this rose is already as tall as I want it to get in that spot. I have no place to move it to where it's cool enough for it to thrive and since there is quite a bit of new growth further down, especially since the rain, it shouldn't be a problem (saying with crossed fingers.) to pinch off the top growth.