Fortuniana is very good root stock for warm climates so it should like Dallas very much. It is very vigorous and will give you larger plants quicker than Dr. Huey. If it wasn't winter tender I'd be looking for it for my roses too.

Fortuniana root stock bush's only comes from a couple of vendors. You won't find them in a nursery unless you live in FL (Nelson's roses. Check out their web site. A good read). Cool Rose's and K&M Rose nursery ships. Try a couple of bushs for yourself and see (Belinda's Dream, Louise Estes, Elina, Vet. Honor are a couple of good growing one's where you can get an idea how they grow). When you plant them, make sure to keep the bud union at ground level. During the first winter, protect them from any freezes. Once you get them through the 1st winter they should be fine. I lived in Arlington a LONG time ago (1976&77) And I know how the Central Texas winters can be. 70 during the day then a cold front comes through and it is 20 the next morning with the hawk screaming like crazy. I think you'll enjoy the results. Now I can't knock Dr. Huey bush's. I've got a bunch in my garden and they are as big as a horse and pump out tons of beautiful blooms.I exhibit so I can be picky about my roses. I also enjoy my garden and share my roses. Some roses you can only find on Dr Huey and some only on Fortuniana

bump.

So should I assume that roses I buy locally (weeks) from nurseries are on Dr. Huey? Seems they ought to indicate it....also, the Lowes and body bag variety? Dr. Huey??

I think I will order Uncle Joe/Toro on Fortunia...and experiment...I recall this man's Toro was spectacular.

What you get at the local nurseries, if not marked otherwise, will be either Dr. Huey rootstock, or no root stock (i.e. plants grown on their own roots). The latter is quite common also, and with field grown plants, it is sometimes difficult to tell if there is a graft at all. Many of the newer varieties were selected for commercial introduction specifically because they grow well on their own roots, and that is how they are most commonly sold.

Fortuniana-grafted plants will pretty much always be twice the price of the others, so you're not likely to find them in competition at the nurseries. Price wise, they do not compete. But the plant you ultimately get from a fortuniana grafted rootstock makes the price well worth it, if your climate is warm enough for fortuniana AND you water them enough. Water is also an essential part of the "great rose" equation.

Well, the rootstock you get NOW as opposed to a few years ago may be changing. I asked our local rose nursery what they were doing with the established Wholesalers (Weeks/J&P) being kind of defunct. Since those two almost always used Dr. Huey one just assumed (unless the rose was grown in Texas which favored multiflora rootstock) that that is what you were getting - Dr. Huey. They said now however in order to get a good selection of roses, they are ordering from Canada (multiflora), Texas (multiflora)as well as own root and what's left over at J&P/Weeks (Dr. Huey). So unless the nursery knows where the rose originated wholesale you can no longer assume Dr. Huey rootstock....And as an aside to the Fortuniana rootstock question in Dallas- the need for it grew because the sandy soils in Florida have such a nematode problem. In many parts of Dallas it is anything but sandy soil. I'd ask someone how Fortuniana does on heavy clay if that's what you have. Also because it's a shallow grower, strong Texas winds might create a problem. I'd certainly try and shelter it from as much wind as possible.........Maryl

kstrong and maryl, great info. this is a mystery to me, as, other than knowing the vendor, it is not listed. i assume all my grafted ones are on dr. huey. I have not had spectacular success with any grafts, most mine are own root. but now that i am getting into ht's, i am buying more. weeks, and 'no name' from lowe's, etc.

i need to track that man down, who exhibits here, and find out what he receommended...i will let you know.

and yes, i have heavy clay. but amend well, around two feet around, but eventually they get into the clay.