I got 'Sweet Chariot' from RVR this Spring. It grew...and grew...and grew. One cane is over three feet long, and now that it's in the ground, I pegged it to the log edging. It bloomed a few times, but not many flowers -- which I expect from a band. But I'm wondering if I got the right rose.

The growth and leaves definitely look "multiflora-like" which fits 'Sweet Chariot'. The flowers I've seen have been semi-double at best, often straight-single, and usually pale mauve-pink fading to white. They are fragrant, but smell more like Bourbon/Damask than what I'd expect from a multiflora-bred rose (which fits 'Sweet Chariot' as its described as having a damask scent).

I'm wondering if it's a soil-effect. 'Sweet Chariot' does tend to have pale green leaves at first, then they darken slowly. Planted nearby is "Bleu Magenta" which takes longer to green-up with its new leaves. I'm thinking I may need to use some acidic fertilizer in the bed next year (I don't want to add anything now). Could this be related to the flowers on 'Sweet Chariot'? Or is this what it often does in its youth? Or should I start wondering if there was a mix-up? The flowers actually resemble pale 'Blue Mist' flowers, but that rose isn't in RVR's inventory.

I'll go out back and take some pics....

:-)

~Christopher

Thoughts?

:-)

~Christopher

:-(

~Christopher

:-/

~Christopher

I was a bit worried about that one long 3' cane that shot out of it. The rest of the plant has the "look" of 'Sweet Chariot' -- arching and weeping -- save that one cane. And then the strange flowers....hmmmm........

:-?

~Christopher

The petal count and color of 'Sweet Chariot' can vary, but it is never as low as the rose in your photo ... at least in my experience of growing the rose in two very different climates.

I moved my current plant this year because it was sited where it was located in the coldest micro-climate in my garden and never really took off. Even the stressed, unhappy plant always had blooms with a higher petal count than the rose in the photo.

Smiles,
Lyn

I took some more pics. Here are all the pics I have of the rose sent as 'Sweet Chariot'.

:-)

~Christopher

Arrival day, after being repotted, May 1st, 2013.

June 2nd, 2013.

Planted, in this pic it's in the center of the front row. Note the 3' long cane arching from the center and pegged onto the log edging.

Me holding the 3' long cane, with a cardboard box underneath for "backdrop"

Most of the rest of the bush, with cardboard behind it.

Closer shots of flowers.

Ingrid

'Lyda Rose' arrived May 1, potted in 2-gal

'Lyda Rose' as of June 2

on June 19

I think what I got is some sort of multiflora-rambler with some repeat. RVR has a few ramblers with one "r" listed for repeat. It was growing into a sort of arching-weeping form for a bit, and then that thick 3'-long cane came out...and I see lots of new growth emerging from the base at the soil line, as well as lots of lateral growth coming from older shoots. It really looks like the kind of rose that spent some time building a base to generate further reserves, and is now poised to shoot to the stars. I spent some time today really looking at it -- and trying to decide if I could put it "somewhere" and just let it go, seeing how it does. But about the only space I have for that is between the garage and the fence. Or perhaps I'll do a little "renegade gardening" and stick it in the empty lot down the street with a bunch of weed-trees in the back.

:-)

~Christopher

Jeri

'Marietta Silva Tarouca' at RVR (note the "messy-single" flowers)
https://www.roguevalleyroses.com/rose/marietta-silva-tarouca

'Lupe's Buttons' at RVR (also with "messy-single" flowers)
https://www.roguevalleyroses.com/rose/lupes-buttons

In any case, it doesn't appear to be 'Sweet Chariot', so it will be removed from that planting spot. I think it's some sort of reblooming Multiflora rambler, and I don't have room for anymore climbers -- except maybe in the corner of the garage and fence, in which case it'll be basically hidden until it reaches over the fence into the neighbor's hibiscus. Or maybe it'll get planted down the street and left to go wild. Unless, of course, someone here with more space wants to try it out and see what it does.

:-)

~Christopher

Jeri

:-)

~Christopher

:-)

~Christopher

Thanks for the mystery! Like you, I'm rather enjoying puzzling and sleuthing, and the more often I revisit your photos, the more I believe I've actually seen a rose (or two or three) just like yours. If I could just identify the click in my memory.... I'm wondering if I'm remembering a straight up blush-colored multiflora? I believe that the species can develop pale pink coloring like yours, although your rose's petals seem a bit more...ruffled?...than the species. Could RVR have mixed up something which used to grow on multiflora rootstock? I know that it's an own-root nursery, but....

Jeri's suggestion of something Francis E. Lesterish seems very close (or more than close). However, Francis and its relative seem to have slightly wider petals than your imposter and the flowers seem to have a character that's subtley different somehow. Your rose's petals curl forward like the species while I believe Francis' petals are flatter or even somewhat recurved as they age. Jeri's photos show something similar occuring. However, your rose is a baby, and I would only have seen mature specimens of Francis and have never seen its relative.

Impressive RVR site searching! Sourire looks close, but I think the petal count would be higher even on a baby, and those spaces between the petals on your imposter just seem too gap-toothed to match the Sourire images that surfaced on the internet. Maybe someone who's either grown this rose or has seen this rose in person will be able to confirm or deny.

If I were a gambler and wished to pick the closest thing to a sure thing given my faulty memory and all the detailed photos I've been perusing, I'd put my money on Jeri's suggestion. If I were looking for a little excitement, I'd continue searching through the pages of dusty rose tomes and obscure internet sites....

Carol