Appears to be very healthy new growth with foliage of normal size and shape. Next spring, cut the bush back if you want the plant to become more compact and bushy.

Terrance

Double post :(

This post was edited by twrosz on Sat, Oct 5, 13 at 0:45

I agree--very healthy growth! You should be doing the happy happy rose dance! : )

Kate

It looks like very healthy new growth.. In the spring you should definitely trim it down so that you will get growth from the lower areas and it won't be so leggy. You will end up with a stronger plant:)

Maude

Looks like a very healthy, happy rose to me too! Every rose has it's own growth habit so don't expect any two roses in your garden to look alike or grow the same way. Watch each of your roses as they grow out and get familiar with how each one likes to grow and you'll see what I mean. And you'll be more likely to know right away when there is something abnormal showing up.

There are tons of roses whose new growth is that dark red color naturally. And most new growth is soft and looks a little prickly too. As it matures the thorns will spread out, the canes will harden off and the leaves will green up.

Just what I wanted to hear, thank you greatly! I am still jumpy about the subject so I appreciate the help. Thank you!

The one photo looks like there are more thorns on the new growth than previous growth? Also, I would quarantine my pruners. In otherword just have a pruners for this rose bush. I would try to observe somehow what new growth is to look like on this plant through an Independent Garden Center or Public Gardens to compare? Last there is discussions being theorized through acedemia of RRD traveling down through the plant to the roots. Once in the roots there are miccorhizae that make nutrient exchanges between root and soil. This miccorhizae webbing becomes a vector that can stay in the soil and cause additional infections to other roses. It is wise to use roses that have an ancestry void of the multiflora species in its ancestry. With some tenacity a person could find a list worthy of any research.

Thank you rose specialist for sharing the possibility of virus transfer through the miccorhizae fungi. Here is a 2013 Ph.D/ thesis on this subject:
http://www.biblio.colpos.mx:8080/jspui/bitstream/handle/10521/1999/Cruz_Gutierrez_EJ_DC_Edafologia_2013.pdf?sequence=1

Here is a link that might be useful: link to thesis, in Spanish, but abstract in English

Henry, I came across this thinking while attending a woody plant conference at swarthmore college. The college has the Dean Bond Rose Garden and RRD was showing itself. They are attempting a plant diversity approach to the garden. In October, I am going down for a perennial plant conference. I appreciate the place and its plant collections. Last, with your wealth of knowledge and networks. How could I possibly get my hands on Pompone Juane?