Jubilee can stand to be pruned down to about 12 to 16 inches. Other than that, I wouldn't mess with the other two. They should be able to come back nicely. You might lose a cane (far left) on dark Desire but I think the bush will come around.

Looks like normal winter kill to me. I would prune back the canes like the one with the black tip on Dark Desire, down to where the leaves are growing healthy. That black tip looks like canker that can spread down the cane if you don't cut it off. The far cane on Dark Desire probably needs to be pruned to the ground too. It won't hurt a rose to prune it that far, since you have buried the graft. I can't distinguish the canes of Royal Jubilee well from the background but it doesn't look like it needs the same pruning.

Cynthia

Cynthis,

I am in Geneva, 6b, NY, too.. What’s your location? I finished pruning yesterday. Just prune off black canes. I had a few black canes, too. It’s a oerfect time to prune any dry brown or black dead canes. Keep all green canes and you are good! Your rosrs look good! It’s normal for this time of year. Blooms will come by May end or first week in June! Exciting!

I agree that you have prune all black parts on the Dark Desire only.

Interesting, I am in 6b too and a few of my roses already in buds, completed pruning more than month ago.

The zones are merely cold hardiness zones and have nothing to do with latitude and how long your growing season is. Those with longer growing seasons will have roses farther along in their growth and blooming than those farther north, even if both gardeners have the same cold hardiness zone rating. Check your latitude, Elena. Kitty is farther north than you are. Diane

I'll save you the trouble. Geneva is 42.9 degrees north, and Cincinnati is 39.1 degrees north. I'm zone 7 cold hardiness but am farther north than either of you. Of course, there are many other factors determining the length of a growing season, including elevation and nearness to large bodies of water. But latitude is so often overlooked, and I'm a fanatic about it. You might read about how the Department of Agriculture determines the cold hardiness zone of any area. Diane

In Alaska, one could wait until the end of June for signs of life. Diane is right.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines cold hardiness zones based on average annual minimum winter temperatures over a multi-year period, typically using data from weather stations across the country.

Here’s how the process works in a bit more detail:

✅ 1. Data Collection

The USDA gathers data from thousands of weather stations, primarily from:

• National Weather Service (NWS)
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) They focus on the lowest temperatures recorded each year over a 30-year period (e.g., 1991–2020 for the current version).

✅ 2. Calculating Averages

For each location, they calculate the average of the annual minimum temperatures over that 30-year window. This means they’re not using daily highs or averages—only the coldest point reached each year.

✅ 3. Zone Assignments

The USDA then divides the temperature range into 13 zones, each representing a 10°F band:

• Zone 1: −60°F to −50°F
• Zone 2: −50°F to −40°F
• ...
• Zone 13: 60°F to 70°F

Each zone is further split into “a” and “b” subzones, which are 5°F increments. For example:

• Zone 6a: −10°F to −5°F
• Zone 6b: −5°F to 0°F

✅ 4. Mapping

Using GIS (geographic information systems), they map the zones to reflect microclimates, elevation, proximity to water, and other localized effects.

I forgot to mention, it's lovely to have another Cynthia on the forum :)

Cynthia