5yr Native Tree Challenge #10 Forsoothe! Dwarf Rose 'Oso Easy' #3

[Forsoothe!]

Just like the other two...







See you next in ~April, '21...

 

[Forsoothe!]

Abandoned as unmanageable as bonsai.

 

[Katie0317]

Abandoned as unmanageable as bonsai.

I've been growing roses pretty much all my life and I never thought one could be turned into a bonsai. Have you ever seen one? Good for you on giving it a shot though. I would have loved to have seen it.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I've been growing roses for 50 years and should've known better. But I thought that maybe the miniatures could work because of shorter internodes. I thought, what the hell, if I can just make it covered with flowers, sort of like an Azalea or Bougie, that would look nice. They are more like a porcupine in more than one way. The branches won't go horizontal and stick out at every angle, and while the base can get fat, it wouldn't be confused with a trunk, so it only makes a broom, but without the handle! There is one more that is more well behaved, a miniature Knockout 'Meet Petite' that I didn't include in the contest line-up because I thought the other 3 were better prospects. I haven't done anything with it, but it is more compact than the others including better blooming, so maybe, just maybe...

 

[Katie0317]

I hope you'll give it a chance. I've seen some very mini roses over time but haven't fooled with them much. Yours don't look nearly as small as a a half dozen minis I mail ordered years ago. They were well formed but truly miniature. They were in 4 inch pots and full of blooms,

I get the challenge though. How do they respond to being wired? I imagine them springing back but I have no idea. Good luck...Hoping you can make it happen.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I can't even prune a rose without it getting even. Wiring with long nose pliers works on branches that are big enough for 1.5mm wire, but smaller twigs only really works by hand which is too painful on a rose. Remember, the other branches in the way of your hands are armed, too. The larger branches are notoriously straight on rose, and they break easy, too. In a word: unmanageable.

This doesn't mean that other, self-flagellating artists shouldn't take a shot...

 

[Esolin]

Interesting. I don't think I've ever really seen a rose as a bonsai either, but I've contemplated it too, particularly with a Lady Bank's climbing rose. For some reason I've got it in my mind that one could maybe work as a broom or literatti with the right trunk. Don't know that I'll ever find the right trunk...and I'm probably deluding myself about the feasability.

 

[Katie0317]

I can't even prune a rose without it getting even. Wiring with long nose pliers works on branches that are big enough for 1.5mm wire, but smaller twigs only really works by hand which is too painful on a rose. Remember, the other branches in the way of your hands are armed, too. The larger branches are notoriously straight on rose, and they break easy, too. In a word: unmanageable.

This doesn't mean that other, self-flagellating artists shouldn't take a shot...

Forsoothe, why are you not wearing rose gloves? I've had the same pair of calve skin ones for decades and I also have a cheap pair...You don't have to cope with them biting back!

As for the crossing branches and the rest of it...That's a different animal.

Have you ever grown old garden roses or antique roses? They're so forgiving and easy. I would absolutely choose one of those...You don't have to worry about black spot or any disease. Particularly Louis Phillippe. They're completely disease resistant. Even knock outs are more difficult than OGR's.

I would just love someone to create a bonsai rose. I think it's a brilliant idea. Maybe order an OGR and see how you like growing it and please buy some rose gloves. Save yourself from that at least.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I will look for some gloves, you should buy Louis and show us all that love conquers all...

 

[Katie0317]

Thanks..I have Louise Phillipe (it's also known as the Florida cracker rose.) I haven't read the history in a long time so don't know where 'love conquers all' comes in?

Why not just nip the thorns off and then you won't need to worry about gloves? I've used a stripper on them before but I'd probably just clip them off. It would be a pain to wire with gloves on.

Somebody did a good job making a miniature rose so I'm guessing it would have to be possible? The real minis are small already. The ones in your pictures are large and OGR's aren't small either (just disease resistant) but what if you started with a true mini rose? They're only about 8 inches tall full grown. I ordered some once because they were cute and all I can say is they were truly small and in full bloom when I got them.

 

[Forsoothe!]

No, my contestants weren't real miniatures, I just called them that. The real minis have really skinny twigs, and I did buy some last year, but I abandoned them because they would never bulk up at all. The wood on a rose is really short-lived and isn't suited to be retained long enough to get thick, and the minis are worse. I meant your love of Louis would encourage you to conquer the problems and produce a rose bonsai. Hint, hint...

 

[Katie0317]

No, my contestants weren't real miniatures, I just called them that. The real minis have really skinny twigs, and I did buy some last year, but I abandoned them because they would never bulk up at all. The wood on a rose is really short-lived and isn't suited to be retained long enough to get thick, and the minis are worse. I meant your love of Louis would encourage you to conquer the problems and produce a rose bonsai. Hint, hint...

Ahh, I'd never attempt such a thing. I'm new to bonsai but not to roses! The way the branches want to cross, the thorns, and yes the wood. I was hoping someone who was not a rosarian would take on the task and with their bonsai knowledge alone would conquer the job.

The story of Huck Finn comes to mind. It will be fun! Look what you'll accomplish, you're a bonsai 'Imperial Masterpiece'...Surely you can shrink a rose. How hard could it be? I'm teasing but I'd really love to go to a nursery and find a rose bonsai awaiting and you could be the creator! Doesn't it sound a little fun and exciting?

Well, I tried to encourage you...Can't say I didn't. Not entirely for selfish reasons. I would have been happy just to see the photos. I wouldn't have even needed to actually own one. Just knowing it existed would have been enough.

With a wink and a nod and off to the next impossible dream!