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Dying Altissimo?
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Posted by
bill_ri_z6b (
My Page) on
Fri, Mar 9, 12 at 11:36
| I have a climbing "Altissimo", a gorgeous velvety red, huge single rose, which has been doing so well for several years. But this year it doesn't look so good. Here in the northeast, it's a bit early for roses to start showing growth, so I'm not certain yet, but the canes don't look so good. And we've had an exceptionally mild winter, like most of the country. I would cut off the canes, but I am pretty sure that this was a graft, so I'd be left with whatever the rootstock is. Any ideas on best way to save what little may be left?
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Dying Altissimo?
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- Posted by hoovb z9 Southern CA (My Page) on
Fri, Mar 9, 12 at 14:44
| What do the canes look like? Black? Brown?? If you make a fresh cut, is there a thin ring of green inside the bark? Do you have the bud union buried below the soil? Any chance that voles or other rodents may have eaten away the roots? |
RE: Dying Altissimo?
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| I doubt that it's voles or similar since there's no history of those critters in this area at all. The bud union is above the soil. Two of the six canes are only green at the bottom few inches, and then are reddish-brown to dead gray. The other four canes look dead. It made such strong growth every year, and, surprisingly, we have had one of the mildest winters in years, as has most of the country. I haven't cut the canes yet, since there is so little of them left, but I would think that at the green parts there should be healthy tissue right through. I just don't know if it's enough to regenerate strong growth.
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RE: Dying Altissimo?
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| For future reference, the bud union should be buried. Not a lot but definitely hidden below ground. Just because the canes aren't green means nothing. A lot of roses have canes that turn red/brown/purple with age/cold/sunburn. Wait until it starts leafing out. Then cut the parts that aren't. |
RE: Dying Altissimo?
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| It' several years old, so the only thing I can do is to mound soil over the union. I'll wait to see what happens. Most of my other roses have buds swelling now so it shouldn't be long.
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RE: Dying Altissimo?
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- Posted by seil z6b MI (My Page) on
Sun, Mar 11, 12 at 12:31
| Bill, have you pruned the tips of these canes at all to see what the inside looks like? As canes age it's not uncommon for them to turn a darker woody looking color. That doesn't mean they're dead, just maturing. I think that's particularly true on climbers because they need to have those older canes to bloom and climb. I love Altissimo. It's one of my favorite climbers with those huge single dark red blooms! |
RE: Dying Altissimo?
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| I'd wait until the other roses have all leafed out before making any judgements. Yes, the canes may be darker and not green simply because they are older. Only fresh young canes are green, then they develop bark. But it's too early to tell if it's dying, or just different this year. |
RE: Dying Altissimo?
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| I'll wait a bit longer. The weather is really warming up now and roses are very quick to sprout new leaves. |
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