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sdrone

Are Blaze climbers really suited for zone 5?

sdrone
14 years ago

I'm been working on getting roses to grow for a several years now. The first 2 I planted were Blaze climbers.

Now, I know my planting has been kind of random. The next 2 I planted were Abraham Lincoln and something like "Chrysler Imperial" that I got at Walmart for $2. Then I planted a Don Juan, which grows nicely and I'm hoping it will bloom now in it's 2nd year. And I know that the past 2 winters here in Chicagoland have been colder than normal.

1. I've had to cut the Blaze roses back almost to the ground just about ever year. This is the 2nd year that I've had to cut the 2nd rose to the ground to get rid of dead growth.

2. They don't really put out lots of growth. The first one will often grow 1 long stem and a few others that are 3' long. The 2nd one rarely gets 3 feet high.

3. I may have planted them wrong - i.e. the bulb may be too high for the temps here.

4. I've worked hard the last 2 years on proper fertilization and watering. It has slightly helped the first rose, but hasn't helped the 2nd one at all.

So my questions are...

Are Blaze climbers suited to Chicagoland weather?

I was browsing a Jung Seeds catalog and saw a page or 2 of "roses from Canada" with several types that I see mentioned a few times here in the forums. I'm curious about "pillar type roses" I see there. Would something like that be better suited for my area?

Comments (27)

  • jeffcat
    14 years ago

    I'd be interested in hearing what other experienced rose growers think as well. I just purchased 2 Blaze Improved climbers for my trellis I'm building. I havn't planted them yet, but they are easily already 3.5 feet tall each and have buds and blooms all over on them. I saw some sites list them as hardy to zone 3..........although that's on the high end. I would bet no more than 5 looking at Ohio's winters. Then again, I have the Blaze Improved, and not just the Blaze regular.

  • henryinct
    14 years ago

    I've never been impressed with Blaze even though I've had it a long time. It is a puny bad performer and I ought to get rid of it. For Chicagoland where I used to live (I went to Northwestern) I would definitely not recommend Blaze although I can't say anything about improved Blaze because I don't know how they improved it. Don Juan has a nice bloom but it is also definitely not hardy enough for Z5.

  • sdrone
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I'm tempted to throw up a "Canada rose" and see how it does. Of course, that's more work. haha. I think I read here in the forums that they aren't scented, but oh well.

  • dan_keil_cr Keil
    14 years ago

    So saying that I am the Chairman of the Consulting Rosarians for the Illinois/Indiana District, I will chime in!
    In a regular winter Blaze will bloom after winter. The last few winters we've had have been hard on all roses. I'm 175 miles south of you in Decatur. My ht's are very small right now, and I have shows in one week!
    You said you planted the graft high. In our area all bud unions are planted 6" below the soil line. To make sure you climber gets thru the winter, dig a trench along side the climber in the fall. Then take it down from the trellis and put the canes into the trench and cover it up!.
    You might try some of the Canadian climbing roses cause they are cane hardy!
    The difference between Blaze and Improved Blaze is zero! It's the same plant. There is a climber called Paul's Scarlett Climber. It bloomed only for about 4 weeks and it was thru for ther year. So someone crossed PSC with another climber that had everblooming traits in it. Thus Improved Blaze was bred. It looks a lot like PSC, but it blooms all year.

  • predfern
    14 years ago

    If you are in the Chicagoland area, visit The Growing Place. They have climbing roses, including Quadra, Ramblin' Red, Tahitian Moon, Westerland, John Cabot, John Davis, Cape Diamond, etc.
    www.thegrowingplace.com

    Old Heirloom Roses recommends:
    Awakening, Aloha, Dortmund, Leverkusen, New Dawn, Prairie Princess, Parkdirektor Riggers, Super Excelsa and Ramblin' Red.
    http://www.oldheirloomroses.com/climbvar1.htm

  • veilchen
    14 years ago

    I grew Blaze Improved for a couple years and it didn't amount to anything at all, it never grew more than 2' tall max. And I don't remember any flowers.

    Mr. Lincoln, Chrysler Imperial, and Don Juan are hybrid teas that you will struggle with to keep alive in your climate.

  • jim_w_ny
    14 years ago

    Climbers are a real challenge in our zone. I've tried many and practically none manage to get up to my arbor. And then it is likely to take a long time. Illusion for example is hardy but took 7 years to get going. For such a great rose it is hardly available here. Need to go to Canada, Hortico or Pickering.

    I've had good luck with the Rambler, Baltimore Belle. Although a once bloomer it is so prolific, hardy and fragrant it it such a joy when it does bloom. For such an old rose, 1843, it is sold by a number of nurseries. Says something about it. Oh by the way it is huge so if you get it give it lots of room. Tip hardy.

  • sadie709
    14 years ago

    My new dawn got beat up this winter in the chgo burbs.I lost 3 of the old canes that were over 8 ft long trained along a brick wall. Don Juan died too. I will not replace it. The only reliable climbers I have are the canadians and an heirloom rose I planted so many years ago I dont remember its name, its a monster.

  • sdrone
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Well this is all good info. I didn't think to ask stuff like this a few years ago, of course!

    I don't need a massive climber; 6 or 8 feet with blooms would make me happy. It sounds like what I should do is check out some of the Canadian roses. I might make some calls this week to see who has stock let.

    Thanks everyone for the input; this is really helpful.

  • bellarosa
    14 years ago

    I grew up in Chicago - near Division/Milwaukee in the West Town area. My mom had a Blaze rose that actually did really well for her. When I moved to the 'burbs, I bought one, as well. Unfortunately, it didn't do well - few blooms, a lot of dieback, etc. I SP'd it. I now only grow the Canadian Explorers and Ramblin' Red. I have Quadra - just moved it this year to a new spot. I've had great success with William Baffin, John Davis and John Cabot. I just planted this year, Capt. Samuel Holland and Louise Jolliet, both of which are Canadian Explorers. My Ramblin' Red is a year old and yes, it had some dieback, but not much. Make sure you check out these roses - they are beautiful, hardy, and disease free - at least in my yard! I'm 60 miles NW of Chicago.

  • timberohio
    14 years ago

    I had my Blaze for 8 years. The first 7 years I was so busy it got neglected. Rarely pruned or fertilized. But everyone loved it. Bloomed non stop all summer. Well last year. It got the attention it had been lacking for years. Only to award me with dying over the winter. I should have just left it alone. I did notice about 6 inches from the rose it is sending up new shoots. No Doubt Dr Huey or whatever graft was used. I'll give it some time to see what happens but it will most likely get the shovel. The less I mess with a rose the better it does.

  • thorngrower sw. ont. z5
    14 years ago

    I have Illusion and Quadra growing side by side. What a great way to compare two roses. The first season Illusion out preformed Quadra, both made it threw the 1st winter undamaged and bloomed nicely the 2nd season, again Illusion put out more growth. This winter was a different story. It was much colder here in southern ontario.Illusion really suffered badly. Quadra on the other had made it threw with no damage and is putting out 3rd year growth like crazy. Its getting ready to bloom. Illusion appeared at 1st to have made it threw the winter. I left the canes unpruned only to find more damage than originally thought. Its a very vigorus grower already threwing up 7 or 8 new canes. But Qudra will be a true climber where as Illusion only a shrub.At least here. I also grow John Cacot and it too is very hardy a hudge shrub or climber. After 10 yrs. I'm considering removing it because of it size. HUDGE...

    Mark

  • Karen F
    6 years ago

    I went out on a limb and bought a blaze rose from our garden center near where I live. Sooo it should be interesting to see how mine does. I bought it in June and it is now up to 3 ft 4 inches high. There were buds already on it when I bought it near the base which are now out in flower. I had to add an extra trellis for it to go up and I ended up having to buy an additional 3. I live in Ontario, Canada and about 2 hours from Toronto. The other varieties that were mentioned I didn't see for sale at our garden centre. The only ones I did see that they had a lot of were the Don Juan, the blaze, candyland among others.

  • henry_kuska
    6 years ago

    I wonder if the differences noticed in different Blaze roses is due to the poor ones having virus infections.

  • Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
    6 years ago

    Blaze is crown hardy only where I live. It will regrow from the ground and bloom but not climb. After removing the dead cane there is not enough time in the season for them to grow into lush climbing roses. Honestly if you would like a good northern climbing rose look for a rose that is cane hardy here. Predfern had some excellent suggestions. There really are not that many cane hardy climbers for zone 5 and colder maybe someday but not yet.

    I love The Growing Place.

    I have been hoping the newest Canadian bred roses might come out with a new climber for the north.

  • Karen F
    6 years ago

    I think mine has grown another inch since I posted this. Here is a picture I took of it today. Mine is definitely climbing as I had to go out and attach a 2nd trellis to the first one. Now it is almost to the top of it so had to go and buy 3 more on Monday. Anybody have the one known as the candyland?? It is red and white striped. Our garden near us had these ones for sale as well. How do they fare out in Ontario, Canada?

  • Karen F
    6 years ago

    Anybody here heard of the Joseph's Coat climbing rose? How do they fare out over the winter? They had this one for sale at the grocery store's garden centre near me.

  • Gillian (zone 5b/6a) Ontario, Canada
    6 years ago

    Blaze was one of the first climbers I planted, along side John Cabot. It has very severe die back and although it tries, it doesn't get very large. No climbing here sadly.

    Blaze is currently about 2ft tall, and looks like my smaller floribundas (The size resembles Honey Perfume) ... Ascot, which is about 6 ft away and planted this spring is making Blaze look ridiculous, it's 4 1/2 ft tall, and is just getting ready to bloom.

    Karengfawcett, I have heard of Candy Land. It's on my husband's must have list. Not as a climber though. It will be ordered in fall, but I doubt it will be cane hardy for me :)


  • Karen F
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I added another section of trellis today (3rd one) as the leaves were up to the top of the second one. Also added another cane to the first trellis. So now I have 2 canes attached to the trellis. Lots of leaves but no buds yet Only the ones that are on the bottom nearest the ground. I have a query about the blaze rose. I noticed that on some of the tags that are with the roses when one buys them that it states where they were grown in. For example the Queen Elizabeth rose on its tag it says it was grown in in Canada. Could a blaze rose that was grown in Canada have a better chance of surviving our winter?

  • Karen F
    6 years ago

    I still had the label attached to my blaze and it stated that it was grown in Canada. I think maybe because the PO here doesn't accept plants that are sporting leaves from the US. I am not sure if this is also true for bare root ones. Sooo my question is would a blaze that was started in Canada survive the winter(would still cover it up) better?


  • mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
    6 years ago

    No. It is still the same plant wherever it is grown. Genetics determine hardiness, not where the plant was grown.

  • henry_kuska
    6 years ago

    If from Canada also meant virus free while from U.S. meant one of the growers who still provide virused plants, the Canadian would be more winter hardy.

  • Karen F
    6 years ago

    I am having to call my blaze rose a marvel here in Ontario, Canada. I must be doing something right for it to be halfway up on the 3rd trellis that I just added onto the 2nd one on July 14th!!! Wow. No roses but lots of leaves. I did read on another web page it might not get any until its 2nd year. Well it did have 2 but these were in bud when I bought it from the garden center. They have since finished doing so. So has anybody else have one that is actually growing like what mine is doing??

  • AnneCecilia z5 MI
    6 years ago

    We'll call it a marvel, dear, when those canes are alive and well come spring. It's not the growth it puts on now; it's the growth that it retains after winter that makes it a climber in a cold zone like 4 or 5.


  • Karen F
    6 years ago

    OK Anne, I will hold off and see how it fares out. I have lots of burlap on me to cover it up with and won't uncover it until after the frost has left. Around our Victoria Day. I know the other 5 will survive as they survived last year with no problem. Only fun thing was uncovering them early then having to cover them up again for 3 nights as they were calling for frost. This year I will have more to cover up in the 2 extra drift roses, the At Last roses (2), the 2 Sunnys knockout roses and the rainbow knockout. Also the Shield rose.

  • Nola z5aWI
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I live in zone 5 a little west of Madison WI and have a "Blaze Improved" that has been in for over 8 years. I live in a valley so I get lots of wind and a little cooler climate than in town, my lilacs bloom 2 weeks after the ones there. I didn't do a very good job of taking care of Blaze (didn't prune, water regularly, or fertilize up till 2 years ago). The pictures below are from today, October 3rd, and it's still cranking out the 2.25" blooms on the 5-6 foot canes. It does get BS here but I don't care, this has got to be the bloomingist rose I have. The color is a true, rich, beautiful red that does not fade (picture color is pretty accurate). Little or no fragrance to me. I don't do anything special in the winter except dump a half bag of chip bark mulch on the base for winter and sometimes if I have extra oak leaves I use those instead. There is very


    little die back or pruning to do come spring. From what I've read, 'Blaze' is zone 6-10, blooms on old wood, and 'Blaze Improved' is zone 5-9 blooms on new and old wood, if that helps for pruning. Very consistent and dependable.