Wow, now that's the most floiferous Earth Angel I have seen! My goofy one got the boot. Its scanty flower output and octopus canes signed its fate. In its spot a Bliss and Oh Happy Day are duking it out.

Bliss is the older contestant, but OHD has the advantage of getting its start, 2024 first year, in my garden growing unhindered by the ravages of Rose Midge Fly. Prior to this year's just about victory over the insect terror, attributed to my ability to diligently spray, the damage the midge did was abominable. That's unlike the relentless Rose Midge Fly infestation I couldn't get a handle on for the previous 4 years or so, that stunted Bliss mercilessly then. Bliss had a remarkable surge this year, thankfully, as have all my roses. If the intense heat this past 2024 growing season had been more moderate, I believe I would have had a very memorable rose year... still very much appreciated, and grateful for what good blooming did occur.

Moses

That is an amazing tree rose, Tututara. Where did you buy it? I have had only a couple of tree roses...Intrigue and Angel Face. Angel Face was great for a long time, maybe five years, but declined. It didn't put on a lot of size.

My main hesitation to buy tree roses is that I think some types of roses , namely stiff, but vigorous hybrid teas, would look very awkward and unbalanced on top of the trunk. I bet they require skilled and diligent pruning.

I think short, branchy growers could work well. I like the looks of weeping China Doll tree rose but it looks to me like it would need a very tall trunk to graft it to. Or would a small, short trunk grow taller along with the top growth? If you make your own tree rose do you graft several bud eyes onto the trunk ?

My sister has had 2 for over 20 years and both are wonderful. One is a Julia Child and it makes a perfect standard, her Moondance on the othet gand is now so tall that the blooms are about 10 ft in the air lol. It meefs a really hard prunning and shaping

I have never tried tree roses, but I notice that the long-lived roses reported here are from zones 7 and 8. I presume that a very hardy rose like those gorgeous pictures of Earth Angel would be your best bet in zone 5/6. Even so, the graft might not be as hardy when above the ground as it is below the ground. A tree rose in your zone might benefit from the protection tutura is talking about, but being the east and a humid zone you also have to consider the moisture issues that go with winter protection in your area.

Just food for thought - I've never been brave enough to try it and I'm a zone pusher.

Cynthia

I don’t know about longevity since mine are no more than 3 seasons old, but I believe the trunk does not grow taller but will thicken in girth. I much prefer a graceful weeping style using a lax shrub or climber to one with upright growth, which would rule out most HTs.

My 2-yr old Ghislaine de Feligonde, the tall trunk (de la grifferraie or similar multiflora, I think) grafted on a laxa rootstock, was alarmingly skinny but is beginning to thicken up. Sadly it really suffered in the very hot summer past, several of the top grafts burnt to charcoal.. head too high above the parapet!

Beautiful, Nollie! That is certainly a nicely shaped plant.

Nollie, your GdeF is breathtaking! You can't control the heat, but all the things under your control you evidently are doing right, with great results. Again, I'm in awe of your Ghislaine de Feligonde....wish I could grow my roses to such perfection!

Moses

@ erasmus_gw I got my EA tree (patio tree 2 ft) from Jackson and Perkins. It is very vigorous grower.

Thank you , Tututara. I will take a look at tree roses J&Perkins are offering. What kind of pruning routine do you two do on these large, bushy tree roses? Were they well pruned when you bought them?

@ erasmus_gw For DA tree roses, for first 3 years, I pruned them lightly. Only this year, I pruned them back to 1.5 ft from the the top graft union and they responded well. For EA, I have to prune twice in a season. First light prune in March and then hard prune in late summer (mid September) to maximize the blooms in spring and summer. I do loose the fall flush because of it.

EA was a bare root purchase (patio tree rose) and came with 4 stems of 8 -10 inches. Same with DA tree roses.

Thanks...sounds like it was well pruned to begin with. Sounds like you have a good procedure for keeping it well shaped.

Thanks Moses and Erasmus, GdF does make a lovely tree rose in Spring, but would be better in a cooler climate than mine, I think. It came from France with an impressive EIGHT top grafts that grew fast, so the loss of a few shouldn’t hold it back. However, I’m considering getting rid of it because I’m struggling to find an alternative location where it’s lofty height can be fully protected from scorching afternoon sun. I have ordered a shorter Chippendale rose tree for that location and hope that will cope better.

Eight top grafts! Is that amount typical from that nursery in France? Isn't two or three top grafts the usual amount? Would 't eight top grafts in a relatively congested location, in time cause tear always from the trunk due to their weight and wind damage as they grow and get huskier/bulkier/heavier, year by year?

Or, are the eight top grafts designed to keep each scion reduced in size and consequent weight issues, so that tearing away from and splitting the trunk are avoided since each scion would have to share the amount of nutrients supplied by the trunk, keeping them moderated in size and weight?

Moses

I’ve no idea why so many Moses, my other ones have three. It does make a spectacular weeping standard, so it’s really hard to contemplate getting rid of. It was my singlar purchase from that particular nursery, because they were the only one I found (after a lengthy search) that both had GdF and would ship to Spain. The grafts are spiralled around about a foot of the trunk, this was it upon arrival in Feb 2022:

That's amazing! I never before have seen such a grafting system. It would be curious to know why, from the grower, and if that information is not available to you, your next tree rose purchase could perhaps be from that nursery in France. You could see if the grafting pattern is repeated. Again, that's a magnificent tree rose you are growing!

Moses