The trunk won't grow appreciably and you will have to trim it regularly to prevent it from hitting the ground. I've had Renae as an 8' weeper and it had to be pruned regularly to keep it off the ground at that height. I don't know who would bud it as a 4' tree.

Thank you , that is very helpful! It may be 5 ft tall now that I think about it . It was about eye level with me so that may be closer . How wide did it grow for you ? Why do you not have it anymore?

I bought the plant from Sequoia Nursery about 2005, to use in a large, raised circular planter at a client's house. There was a four foot stone reclining lion statue in that planter and the Renae tree was planted above and behind the statue. I took care of the garden for six or seven years until the owner, who was a liver transplant patient, passed and his widow had to sell the home. I kept Renae about two feet off the ground by trimming it monthly as it did grow fairly quickly there. In the four or so years after planting I was still maintaining that garden, it grew to about six feet wide. The canes don't grow straight down, but arch out from the trunk and some of the laterals try growing upward from those arching canes. You will have to "encourage" it to take on the shape you desire from it. I don't think you will find it difficult, but it will require your attention.

Can I ask where you found this? I didn't know that any nursery was carrying this rose (other than Burling) and to carry one as a standard? Wow! When I was looking for one a couple of years ago, I came across nothing!

Thanks Kim !! 6 ft wide huh ? Why am I struggling to decide if this would work in my garden ? :( I was going to do a Renae on my arbor if I decide not to buy the tree . Your garden bed you maintained sounds beautiful.

Mustb- it’s at Armstrong’s garden center, a wonderful chain here . I’m not sure where you are but they will move plants from one of their locations to another if they don’t have it in their closest location to you . :) it is $69.99 I think .. Also Otto and sons shows it on their inventory website, but as a 3 ft standard . :)

Lilyfinch, I think you should go for it. I know it might be a bit large as you are working with smaller property but your love for Renae pushed me to by mine.

As I walk by her tiny self, I always tell her she has very big shoes to fill.

If possible I hope you always have a Renae in your garden!

Jenna,
Armstrong is my go to nursery and fortunately only a few miles from my house. They will put you on order list for any plant they carry. So if you want a regular Renae climber for an arbor they should be able to get it. I have been on a waiting list since Spring for a particular honeysuckle and a newly introduced chartreuse nandina (eg. Heavenly Bamboo). I suspect they won’t come in until the new fall shipments from the growers, but whenever I check they still have me in their system and haven’t forgotten. I am a member and get money back after spending enough dollars. We get our Fraiser Fir Christmas tree there every year, since they give all trees fresh cuts and put into water immediately upon arrival. Our tree lasts a good 6 weeks looking fresh and green. Also after testing a number of different species, Fraiser Firs last the longest and Armstrong is the only place that we can find them. They are an excellent nursery!

Thanks Lily. Yes, I remember Armstrong when I lived in So Cal. In fact, I went to school (college) with one of their great great grand daughters of the founder (I think that was the relationship--the family no longer owned the nursery at the time I knew her). Unfortunately, there are no centers near where I live. Sigh! Although, even as a standard, I don't think I have the space for it, unfortunately. Double Sigh! Thank you so much for letting me know where you saw the rose. It is very much appreciated.

Yay Stephanie aren’t they the best ! So friendly and helpful. I live by the Temecula one and just love it . I could go sit in their patio dept all day if my kiddo would let me . :) I’m so glad you mention honeysuckle. I had a lot in Tennessee but have t seen them for sale here so I wasn’t sure if they did well or not . I want at least one but they get so large I’m trying to decide . what variety we’re you looking for ?

Mustb , sorry they are too far for you now !! It does look like it’ll be beautiful as a tree!

Tina , I will have renea in one form or another!! I think it may be perfect for my arbor in the front yard . Plus I’m feeling so frugal .. I can get 3 roses for the price of one tree lol !!

Lilyfinch, I had a honeysuckle, probably lonicera japonica (sp?), some decades back in zone 10a, San Fernando Valley in SoCal. I got it to cover a hideous chain-link fence; one day the fence came down and unfortunately the vine went with it.

I found it slow to establish, but then it grew at least 5’ wide along the fence. Sleep, creep, LEAP! Bloomed almost all year. Not as big as they get in the South, I don’t think, but delightful, and then of course there’s the fragrance.

Good luck!

Thanks so much Sylvia !!!! I may do my favorite, gold flame .. but I also loved John Clayton too.. and graham Thomas .. haha !!! I just want a lot for my hummers to choose from :)

, Lilly Finch, did your honeysuckles get invasive?

No not at all vapor !! I would cut back depending on how big they were but they mingled in with my roses . Now , one honeysuckle did cause a fence panel to fall over when the posts rotted in the ground . It was just so heavy and the fence builder was terrible and did not use treated wood ! Shame on them.

I’m going to post this and look for some pictures.

Jenna,
The 2 honeysuckles I was thinking to get are either Lonicera 'Americana' (this is a fully European hybrid and the name is a misnomer) or Lonicera x heckrottii. I had the red leaf version of L. japonica and it got huge in 5 years with a main trunk 3-4 inches in diameter and if not pruned often it would have been much larger than the 5 foot tall 10 foot wide fence covering that it was. But I have seen the green leaf version grown as ground cover around the Caltech campus and it stays small. So seems to be several types of L. japonica. The 2 above should stay smaller. I got tired of pruning L. japonica, so after the neighbors replaced the fence we took it out.