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jhawes_gw

Is this rose mosaic virus

jhawes
9 years ago

This is a Dr. Brownell rose that was a tiny stick from Chamblees nursery early this spring. It grew very well and has been completely healthy throughout the summer. Now out of nowhere the leaves are turning yellow and falling off. I don't think they have been over watered and I'm pretty conservative on feeding, so I don't think it's that either. I have a lot of roses and all of them have been very healthy this summer. I wondered if this one has rose mosaic virus and, if so, what can I do. I know there's no cure, but I would hate to get rid of this one. Any advice would be appreciated.

Comments (8)

  • jhawes
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    By the way, here's a shot of one of it's blooms earlier in the summer.

  • wirosarian_z4b_WI
    9 years ago

    I would say "NO" on a virus. Looks more like "chlorosis" to me which is a nutrient deficiency.....possibly sulfur?....see chart below.

    {{gwi:295495}}

  • rosefolly
    9 years ago

    Agreed. It does not look at all like RMV.

    I would guess that they need nitrogen (or possibly sulfur as was already suggested), though honestly I'm not very good at analyzing nutrition deficiencies.

    If you have recently fertilized and you still have this situation, then you may have either a very acid or a very alkaline soil interfering with nutrition uptake. If you are not fertilized, and are planning to, make sure you water thoroughly before fertilizing. I just attended a lecture that explained just why in vivid detail.

    (I am way oversimplifying, but basically if you fertilize without watering first, the fertilizer can suck the water out of your poor plants like a vampire and they will burn in the sun.)

    Rosefolly

    This post was edited by rosefolly on Wed, Jul 23, 14 at 19:01

  • seil zone 6b MI
    9 years ago

    Agreed, deficiency.

    What a handy cheat sheet, wirosarian, thanks!

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    9 years ago

    I disagree. The yellow veins on a green leaf in the pic is the reverse of chlorosis (which would be green veins on a yellow leaf). To my eye, that's either a form of RMV, or what's called "rose yellow vein virus."

    :-/

    ~Christopher

  • AquaEyes 7a NJ
    9 years ago

    P.S. I don't remember for sure if it was the Brownell roses, but I do remember Kim Rupert (or someone else?) mentioning one of the "hardy" or "sub-zero" rose breeders budding all their stock from the start, and that today all cultivars from that line are infected (unless they went through heat-treatment later).

    :-/

    ~Christopher

  • michaelg
    9 years ago

    Reportedly all the Brownell roses are virused unless the grower started with heat-treated stock.

    "Vein-clearing" is one kind of RMV symptom, but virused leaves do not usually die and drop off. Also leaves with virus symptoms grow out that way; they don't start out green and change. And new leaves with virus symptoms usually appear in cool weather, not the heat of summer.

    Sulfur deficiency is rare unless you garden in sand. Organic matter, many manufactured fertilizers, gypsum, epsom salts, and acid rain all provide sulfur.

    Could be from water logging if it starts at the base of the cane and moves up.

  • malcolm_manners
    9 years ago

    These symptoms are not right for rose mosaic. That doesn't guarantee that the plant is not infected -- it may be symptomless at this time of year. But these symptoms don't suggest it.