Don't destroy your rose. Yes, it's RMV, and many Austin's and other roses have this. I regard it as a cosmetic issue, which usually disappears as weather heats up. Often it only appears every few years or so. I have a Meilland plant that has RMV, too. RMV is a problem of grafted roses. Diane

True, I hadn't thought about taking a cutting, but it, too would have RMV. Diane

I have a Desdemona with it and it and it still produces lovely blooms

What temperature zone are you in? Roses have an immune system that is more effective against some of the common rose viruses at high temperatures. Without knowing where you live and which actual virus (or viruses) your plant has (plus which strain you have, strong or weak), one cannot predict whether your infection is simply a cosmetic problem or could affect your plants growth and longevity and possible spread to your other roses.

This is the most recent paper that I could find (see page 17 about roses in Table 1): https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PDIS-05-20-1061-FE

The affiliations of the authors in the above paper are:

Authors and Affiliations

• M. Fuchs † , School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456
• C. V. Almeyda , Micropropagation and Repository Unit, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
• M. Al Rwahnih , Foundation Plant Services, Plant Pathology Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
• S. S. Atallah , Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61820
• E. J. Cieniewicz , Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
• K. Farrar , Foundation Plant Services, Plant Pathology Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
• W. R. Foote , Crops and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
• D. A. Golino , Foundation Plant Services, Plant Pathology Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
• M. I. Gómez , Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
• S. J. Harper , Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Prosser, WA 99350
• M. K. Kelly , Department of Agriculture and Markets, Division of Plant Industry, Albany, NY 12205
• R. R. Martin , Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331
• T. Martinson , School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456
• F. M. Osman , Foundation Plant Services, Plant Pathology Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
• K. Park , Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
• V. Scharlau , Washington Wine Industry Foundation, Cashmere, WA 98815
• R. Smith , University of California, Cooperative Extension, Sonoma County, Santa Rosa, CA 95403-2894
• I. E. Tzanetakis , Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701
• G. Vidalakis , Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
• R. Welliver , The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry, Harrisburg, PA 17110
• -----------------------------------------------------------------------

The following is a more complete discussion of the temperature effect (which applies to some of the rose viruses):

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

It depends. If you have a large rose collection full of many rare varieties, or your neighbors have many roses, you might wish to destroy it to prevent any possibility of spread. However, the risk of it spreading to other bushes is very low, so likely you do not have to destroy it if you really do not want to.

There is no cure.

I would sterilize your pruning scissors after you cut it though, so that you don't risk spreading it to other bushes.

It's not a death sentence for the rose and many, MANY roses have it. Ignore it and chances are you'll never see it again. There is no proof that it spreads to other plants. Chances are if you have it in the plant next door you bought it with it. As stated above. own root does NOT guarantee that a rose does not already have it.

Thanks, everyone, for your kind responses. I'm inclined to keep it for now as it's an otherwise healthy (aside from RMV), attractive shrub with reliable repeat bloom (light fragrance, though). The RMV is starting to fade as spring temps warm up (we've already had a few days in the mid to upper 80s). I'm in zone 9b (SF East Bay) where average July temperatures are 87.8 °F (31.0 °C) and there are an average of 45 days with highs of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher. I contacted David Austin Roses and they did say they would replace the rose. Now that I write this, I'm eyeing that Huntington Rose spot as a potential planting site for one of the OGRs I just received from Antique Rose Emporium. Decisions, decisions...