Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
avalon2007

Damask roses for Florida

avalon2007
15 years ago

OK, here I go again - saw Celeste's new photos and now I have to ask about Damask roses.

Climate here: cool/warm dry winters, no freezes, long hot rainy humid summers, lotsa BS.

Can Damask roses do well here, or do they really need some chill?

thanks,

Avalon

Comments (15)

  • malcolm_manners
    15 years ago

    Autumn Damask is ok. It will bloom in the spring, make a rare flower in the summer, and a few more in the fall. It will require spraying. Other Damasks likely won't flower reliably, even once.

  • trospero
    15 years ago

    I think Malcolm would probably include 'Rose de Rescht' on the list of Damask Perpetuals that will grow in Florida, as I believe he included it on the previous thread about Gallicas. As he said, they will need to be sprayed to control Blackspot, otherwise they will be continually defoliated and fall quickly into decline.

    Regards,
    Paul

  • avalon2007
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well, I guess I'll grow roses that are easier. Despite my sincere admiration for Gallicas and Damasks, if they can't take the "no chill zone" and/or the heavy BS we have here, then it's best if I just look at other's pictures! I won't spray fungicide, so that pretty much raps it up for Damasks.

    I suspected that would be the case, but just thought I'd double check with you forum folks before I gave up in it.

    thanks again,
    Avalon

  • melva
    15 years ago

    My region is different but I grow Ispahan without much problem and I don't spray...
    {{gwi:235496}}
    I have read where Ispahan is probably crossed with another type of rose, and is not pure Damask...anyone know?

  • jerijen
    15 years ago

    But of course you do know, Avalon, that there are many, many Old Roses that are well-suited to warm-climate conditions.

    Not the old Northern Europeans, but look instead to the roses of Asian origin, and you'll be right on target.

    Jeri

  • melva
    15 years ago

    That is true...you have the Chinas and Banksias, some of the Bourbons, and of course, the Noisettes!

  • malcolm_manners
    15 years ago

    True, I would include Rose de Rescht -- I never think of it as a Damask. But with spraying, it's good.
    Malcolm

  • avalon2007
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    After seeing Celeste's wonderful pics, it was necessary for me to inquire about the Damasks and Gallicas -
    just to see if the envelope can be pushed a little.
    Oh, yes I am learning that Chinas, teas and Noisettes are the best for down here. And also Banksias and Bourbons, possibly?
    Excellent!

    Knockouts do well also but OGRs have my heart.

    Banksias are once bloomers, right? Or does it depend on how you cultivate them? Jeri once posted a lovely photo of a yellow banksia - I had never seen one before and was amazed.

    My father used to tell me that it was too hot for roses in FLA, and I never saw any in the part FLA that I grew up in. Every rose we purchased bloomed a little and then died. Now having discovered that the right roses WILL survive and bloom here, I feel as if I can have the garden I've always imagined - orange trees and roses!

    Very few people in my subdivison grow any flowers. It looks so stark and drab -not anything like the name Florida implies. The "snowbird" folks here would grow roses if they could basically abandoned them for 6 months a year, so I'm thinking that introducing OGRs in my front yard might encourage some of them to take cuttings...?
    The roses they could grow would be the care-free roses that are referred to as "found", "passalong" or "cemetery" roses (we call some of them 'cracker roses' here).

    thanks for all of your suggestions and help,
    Avalon

  • melva
    15 years ago

    All the Banksias are one time bloomers, although I have heard of the people in California getting some scattered re-bloom...they might do that for you.

  • the_bustopher z6 MO
    15 years ago

    Have you considered at all any of the Austins for your area? Since you don't have a prolonged cold period necessary to trigger flowering cycles in the old European roses (the gallicas, damasks, centifolias, albas, etc), perhaps the Austin look-alikes would do for you. I have seen Glamis Castle and The Prince in Florida up in the Orlando area looking quite happy. Perhaps there are others that would do well also that have that OGR look but not have so much of a cold requirement.

  • avalon2007
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi bustopher
    Yes, I did order Graham Thomas, and I also have G. Jekyll. And isn't Teasing Georgia also an Austin? I have that one as well. I am told that the hotter climates will cause these roses to bloom very poorly. It was probably a mistake for me to get TG and GJ, although GT may be able to take more heat, we shall see.

    Florida, like California, is a very long state. The region I live in is considered to be sub-tropical z10, whereas the Orlando region is temperate z9. They have hot summers, but they also have more days of lower temperatures than we do.

    In Florida, gardening the difference between z10 and z9 is quite pronounced. People in z9 can grow a greater variety of northern bulbs, but in z10 we can barely grow some of the ones that are supposed to do well here. The flowering bulb plants we can have here are few and far between, unlike the wonderful assortment you folks up north can grow. The bulbs that will grow here are very precious to me, and I'm always looking for new ones. I haven't given up yet!
    thanks for your reply,
    Avalon

  • melva
    15 years ago

    Teasing Georgia is an Austin, a very nice one.

  • trospero
    15 years ago

    You know, the Teas have so much to offer someone in your climate, and the bloom style and color often puts the Austins to shame. I would make the best use of these if I were you. 'E. Veyrat Hermanos' can be an extraordinary beauty, as can 'Reve d'Or' and many, many excellent shrub sized Teas, like 'Mons. Tillier' which is amazing from year three on. Trust me, invest in Teas now and you will be beside yourself with pleasure in a few years.

    {{gwi:235497}}

  • avalon2007
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    trospero-
    thank you for the lovely photo - she's a beauty!
    I just put in an order with Vintage that included Chinas and teas. (No Damasks, Albas, Gallicas!)
    I will definitely be ordering more teas. Hopefully, they will do well on their own roots here.
    thanks again,
    Avalon

  • malcolm_manners
    15 years ago

    I would not recommend banksias in S. Fla. They don't flower well for us, even once. We get a small smattering of blooms in the spring, but not worth growing and waiting a year for.

    Have you tried the true musks? R. moschata. Excellent, nearly constant rebloom and strongly fragrant. The single is my favorite.
    Malcolm