What area are you, Claudia? Location really helps people help you.

Sorry, I should have included that. I am near the border of Texas/Oklahoma, north of Dallas. We have expansive red clay here, hot summers, mild winters. I should also mention I have many other roses and none of them are doing this.

Is there a possibility that some toxic (to a rose), spray hit the foliage in question? In the same vein, has there been a recent application of anything liquid poured upon the soil or dry, granular substance (fertilizer, insecticide, etc.), applied upon or nearby the soil?

Another thing, has there been a lessening in the amount of hydration through: irrigation, hand watering, etc., that has occurred recently?

The excessive recent heat may be contributory to the reason for the foliage problem.

If a rose is over liquid fed, followed by a slacking off of watering, the stressed new foliage will show a strange growth pattern.

Moses.

Thanks for the reply, Moses. I can't 100% rule out herbicides and I'm starting to think that's the most likely explanation. I'm gardening in a semi rural agricultural area and the wind could be carrying whatever the neighbors are using. After seeing your response and digging some, it does look similar to 2,4-d damage.

Claudia,

That makes sense. Many posters on this forum have reported such events happening to their roses. The standard treatment is generous watering, and possibly pruning away the afflicted foliage.

Moses.

Thank you again Moses, I will be trying my best to help it recover with extra careful attention especially to watering. It's a great rose and seemed exceptionally happy in my yard, until it didn't.

I predict a full recovery. I've seen worse cases. Hopefully a repeat in the years ahead will never occur. Is there any way of finding out the source of the herbicide drift, and contacting them requesting more care be taken with future herbicide applications?

Moses.

I hope the rose will recover over your "winter", Claudia. I think you have a tough climate. Good luck!

@Moses, Pitt PA, cold W & hot-humid S, z6 That's reassuring, I have seen conflicting opinions on if a rose damaged by herbicides will recover. I am hopeful.

To be fair I'll have to question my husband first in case he sprayed something, but I also have a really great relationship with the neighbors who would be the other most likely source. I think I can probably get it sorted out.

@Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR Thanks for the well wishes! It can be a challenging climate but on the plus side we have a really long growing season, which gives me a long time to enjoy roses.

I've seen this in my own collection, and it is almost always the result of a combination of heat stress and thrip damage. I don't see herbicide exposure in those plants. FWIW

Heat, I think. At least that's what it would be here.

My Boscobel gets like this every summer. I see it occasionally on some of my other roses, but none are affected as badly as Boscobel, who spends the hottest months of every summer looking like this. It looks like it’s on its way out, but once fall comes, it puts out fresh new growth that looks normal. I blame it on the intense heat and high elevation sunlight.