Lisa,

I have Cafe Ole, got it from Burlington Roses last spring. It grew to about 14" by season's end. It is a very nice mini, not exceptionally vigorous, nor is it wimpy...average vigor, maybe a bit more.

The generously petaled flower, not too many petals nor too few, has a nice, exhibition hybrid tea form in mini version, not Miniflora sized.

I could not detect a memorable fragrance.

It is the coffee, with lots of cream in it, color that sells Cafe Ole to me. Sometimes the color looks dingy, dirty in the garden, but in a vase it reigns.

The blooms sometimes have beautiful, faint lavender tones. I like Cafe Ole's fully open bloom's looks....moderate quilling only. After all, a rose flower's beauty should continue through, all the way to petal drop, not just look beautiful at exhibition stage, and thereafter look ugly.

I dislike excessive quilling, especially on those minis that could use more petals. They look like a cheap, stick on Christmas gift bow you buy by the 2 dozen per bag at the Dollar Store.

Cafe Ole is a black spot and spider mite magnet like most of my minis are...so what's new? I spray or I pay with scraggly, weak minis.

All this evaluation is after only one year, and the bush started in ground as a rather small liner size little guy. I expect it to do very well, and so far, it is a keeper.

Cafe Ole is getting no winter protection like all my other minis who are essentially tip hardy here without it. I expect Cafe Ole to be the same.

Now, concerning your recent purchase of Cafe Ole from Rogue Valley Roses....

I think you just got a husky bush there! The foliage looks exactly right for size, and the stems' internode distances look right on target, going by my Cafe Ole.

Mine was 1/4 the size of yours. It was just much younger than yours when it was planted, 5" tall with coat hanger thin stems, but healthy and normal for its age.

The leaflets on mine are not chubby, but average to a bit slender, just like yours. Mine is defoliated now as it should be, normal. I've had a prolonged cold spell with lows in the mid-teens.

My Cafe Ole's thorns are just like yours. I don't find your Cafe Ole very thorny, average for a mini, and Cafe Ole specifically. They are also small thorns, like a mini's should be. If it was a mislabeled rose it would probably have much larger thorns.

If you are worried about that husky cane, don't. I have Winter Magics and Jilly Jewel that have 3/4" basal break canes.

I can understand your concern about your rose not being genuine. You did purchase it from a top nursery, so any identity problems that may arise will surely be resolved to your satisfaction.

I really believe you have a genuine Cafe Ole. I hope you like yours as much as I like mine.

Moses

Thank you, Mr. Moses. These are my first mini’s ever, so I had no idea what to expect. I would have preferred to order from Burlington, but she doesn’t carry Little Gray Pearl. She’s only 5 hours drive from me, and shipping is very reasonable. Another reason I was nervous about Cafe Ole’s ID (besides this bands huge size) is that unfortunately Rogue Valley Roses is developing a reputation for sending out mislabeled roses. The owner is in her 80’s and apparently overwhelmed with the business, bless her heart. One of her top employees recently left and things seem to have been rather chaotic, since. I hate to bad talk a rose business, especially when we need them so much, but many have been very disappointed and frustrated. I sincerely hope they have things straightened out, and that they thrive.

I’m very excited about seeing Cafe Olé in bloom! Your description is wonderful. I’m thinking to put it in the center of a large pot, with the two Little Gray Pearls around it. I love the oddball colors! Who bows, with my warm temps and the size of this band, I may see blooms sooner than later! Thanks much! Lisa

Lisa,

It is just a wait and see situation. Be hopeful. The rose looks right to me.

One nice thing about growing minis in pots is that you can put a pot up on a table, pedestal, or bench to get an eye level view of the blooms (sitting down beside it, of course). That way you get to really appreciate the beauty, and possible fragrance up close.

A while back I tried a number of Sweet Chariots in pots to get some size on them before going into the ground. They grew and bloomed beautifully with no disease whatsoever. I didn't spray back then.

As soon as they went into the ground, black spot and spider mites hit them hard, even growing under supposedly more ideal growing conditions.

I have observed this phenomenon more than once with other roses too. Grown in pots they have fewer disease/ insect issue than when ground grown. However, grown in ground, they get much larger.

I hope yours are trouble free.

Moses

It could easily be Cafe Ole' as it is a rather "sturdy" mini. Don't be surprised to find Winter Magic blooms on it as it's often a rather unstable mutation. You should be able to detect scent from fresh flowers under good conditions as both are some of the best scented minis I've grown. They're pretty flowers and decent plants in many of our climates here out west.

Mr. Moses, are minis known to be more susceptible to diseases than “regular” roses? I kind of expect Little Gray Pearl to be a bit slow and/or disease susceptible, because I had read that it could be. My climate is very good for rose growing, and not very hospitable to fungal diseases except for powdery mildew. As long as I provide enough hose water, things grow astonishingly well. It’s been terribly dry here with humidity levels of 5%, and no rain in sight. The roses really need some of the “real stuff” that only the Father can provide. I’m hoping that we get some rain soon. We desperately need it, and the threat of wildfire looms constantly.

I’m fortunate that I don’t need to do any winter protection here, and many roses will bloom year round. I’m hoping that a “weaker grower” like Little Gray Pearl will do well here. It does well for Cori Ann, I believe. I think it will be happy here, too.

I like the color description you give. I think it should go well will LGP, and in the vase, with Irish Creme, Koko Loco, and/or Silver Cloud. I really like Silver Cloud, another Ralph Moore. I bought mine from Burlington. What a great cut flower! I figure the more coffee/lavender roses I grow, the more likely two or more will be in bloom at the same time for arrangements. Lisa

Thanks, Kim. I just looked up Winter Magic, and I find it lovely as well! I won’t be very miffed if it throws some Winter Magic Blooms. I’m excited to see Cafe Olé and my two Little Gray Pearls bloom. And yes, I was hoping they’d do well here in the land of hot and dry. I love those parchment/coffee colored roses SO much. Something so intriguing and antique looking about them. Lisa

I’ve loved my “surprises” too! Mine are going in a pot anyway since they are minis, so it’s ok. I also ordered Pomponella, which I have wanted forever! Lisa

Lisa,

Black spot is not likely an issue for you. It needs more humidity than you have to thrive. Lots of rain splashes its spores around. Less rain, less black spot spreading.

Mildew may rear up though for you. Dry weather along with cool nights favor it. Mildew is nowhere near as destructive here as is black spot. It is seasonal here, usually only spring and fall, but not in the summertime when black spot reigns.

Minis are quite black spot prone here; the most black spot prone class of roses in my garden behind hybrid teas. It's due to their small leaf size and closeness to the ground where splashing can't be helped. Also, black spot colonies are a standard size as they expand, whether on little leaves or big ones. The little leaf succumbs much quicker.

Spider mites go after minis so easily and quickly, again, because their foliage is so close to the ground and so small. Also, 20 mites on a mini leaflet are a crowd. 20 mites on a big rose's leaflet, like huge leafed Aunt Honey, are 'lost in a wilderness'.

Mites multiply at the same rate of reproduction whether on a tiny leaf or on a huge leaf. They can do in a little leaf much quicker than a big leaf. A mini can be severely infected with mites, and show severe leaf damage, long before its big rose neighbor infected with the same number of mites even shows signs yet.

All this said, the charm of the diminutive size of the mini rose is its draw, just like anything else that is miniature: miniature ponies, teacup chihuahuas, bantam chickens, etc.

Lisa, you should have better success with minis than I do, just because of your more favorable climate for them than mine. They get big out West. My success comes through relentlessly battling black spot, spider mites, and rose midge fly.

Moses