Yes, it does.

Damn

Thank you Sheila. Who is Henry?

Rose Mosaic Virus is NOT fatal to roses. There are many separate viruses that fall under the RMV umbrella and so far I have never seen any proof that any of them will kill the rose. I know I have many infected roses in my garden and even in my cold climate it hasn't been fatal to them. My 65 year old Pinocchio is infected and I just checked it this morning and it made it through another winter. The symptoms only show up on a handful of leaves and only when the rose is already stressed for some other reason. It has also not been proven that it can be transmitted from rose to rose through contact or pruning.

The only way the disease is transmitted is through grafting to an infected root stock. Which is why it is so prevalent now. In the middle of the last century (40s, 50s & 60s) almost all roses were grafted. Own root roses were very rare at that time. Growers wanted to produce as many roses as fast as they could for sale and grafting was the best way. At some point virused root stock was introduced and used for propagation. Even when they found out they continued to use it anyway so the disease was spread. Many varieties that were introduced at that time can only be found as virused because they were never grown on their own roots. Even if you root cuttings now from a virused plant the new one will be virused.

There is a heat treatment program that is being used to try and clean some of the varieties up but it has not gotten rid of the virus yet. I know UC Davis sells heat indexed cuttings and I recently heard of another one, in Florida I believe, that is doing it as well.

As for your rose, relax and enjoy it! You may never see the signs again and your rose will grow and bloom beautifully for you for years to come!

Could you provide your state and your zone? The reason that I am asking is that roses have an immune system that has a temperature dependence against some of the rose viruses.

https://sites.google.com/site/temperatureandrosemosaicvirus/home

The following was stated earlier in this thread:

"I have a couple of roses that do this and they are doing fine. I would ignore it and not read any remark by Henry."

H. Kuska comment:

It appears that some things have not changed much since the following comment was made.

https://groups.google.com/g/rec.gardens.roses/c/VhgwCRP1rO0/m/Wb9k-OoUpRUJ?pli=1

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While other things have changed:

The following was stated earlier in this thread:

"Rose Mosaic Virus is NOT fatal to roses. There are many separate viruses that fall under the RMV umbrella and so far I have never seen any proof that any of them will kill the rose. I know I have many infected roses in my garden and even in my cold climate it hasn't been fatal to them."

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H.Kuska comment: most references that I have seen say something along the line that the virus may weaken the plant to the extent that those in colder climates often lose their virused roses due to cold injury. I guess we are just talking semantics if we try to say the cold killed the rose not the virus.

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The following was stated by (apparently) the same author 11 years ago"

"seil zone 6b MI

I don't replace them either. There are so many that can only be found now with RMV that I'd have a hard time doing it anyway. Besides that in my cold zone they usually will just not come back from a winter when they've weakened sufficiently so I just dig them out then."

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1711311/rose-mosaic-virus-what-to-do

Ah, that distinctive water mark discoloration.

I'd say it is indeed RMV, but considering its presence is rampant in the industry, unless one is able to source virus indexed (VID) plants (including the root stock if grafted) it'll pop up no matter what.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Symptoms seem to lessen in warmer weather and though purportedly a hindrance in northern areas, I understand it to be primarily cosmetic on most varieties in most gardens.

My most obviously infected rose is Lady Emma Hamilton grafted to Dr. Huey from David Austin Roses (who like to pretend its spread and presence is something mysterious... NOT).

Steven

@MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet as you say it is rampant. It seems like RMV has infected a lot of DA grafted roses. I've seen those water mark colorations on both my Boscobel and WOH planted new plants from DA last year. Sigh.

@llydecke "Does this look like Rose Mosaic Virus? I recently planted 4 iceberg climbing roses, but only one has leaves like this."

Yes it is, and if you just purchased these plants, I would have a conversation with the nursery that sold them to you, if I were you. The only way to affect change in the industry is to vote with your wallet, and complain when you end up with virused plants. This should not be happening in 2021!

I can confirm that some US-grown DA roses have issues with RMV. I "returned" roses in the past (in my previous location) because the symptoms were so pronounced, but the replacements they sent me were just as bad! I just pulled them out and gave up.

They wanted to send me different roses but at this point I decided to stop growing DAs altogether (BS issues). There were only so many diseases I could take in one plant...

I love you Henry and I get your point but the two worst virused roses in my garden, that show symptoms the most often, are 65 and 50 years old respectively. And they are both coming back beautifully again this spring. Sometimes the weakening of a rose has nothing to do with the virus. Sometimes it's just a very bad cold, windy winter and a prolonged spring freeze and thaw that does the deed. Since I tend to buy body bags and cheap roses I often lose them to winter because they just weren't all that vigorous/healthy to begin with.

Most local nurseries get what they get from whatever grower they have and have no control over whether or not the plants are virused. Most growers only have virused plant material to work with and trying to replace all the mother plants with indexed material would be enormously costly. I hate to say it but with all of the losses of growers and vendors in the industry lately I'd truly hate to see more places closing because the stock was virused, The lessor of two evils and all that. At that rate we'll all end up with only Knock Outs available anywhere. And they can be virused too.

The following was stated earlier in this thread:

"(who like to pretend its spread and presence is something mysterious... NOT)."

H.Kuska comment: the following link should give the reader an idea of the problems at present with the science of detection and elimination of rose viruses.

https://rosebreeders.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=56565

@seil zone 6b MI

You are scaring me with the prospect of only knockouts available anywhere. I love my special roses!

Thanks for all the comments here. I noticed my Elina (grafted) with that water mark as shown in the photos and very panicked at first but calmed down after reading all your comments. It doesn't seem to be bothered by the RMV and keeps on producing amazing huge flowers.