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floridarosez9

Weeping China Doll and Hot Cocoa

I recently purchased two Weeping China Doll standards on Fortuniana, one of which had a Hot Cocoa grafted to the top and growing straight up out of the middle. The HC had several buds and blooms. I found it so ugly growing out of the top of WCD that I clipped all the HC blooms and put them in a vase. Once they were inside in the vase I found the russet blooms against the dark green foliage strangely appealing, even though they were butt ugly growing with the delicate pink blooms of WCD.

In spite of having decided HC isn't as ugly as I first thought, I plan on clipping it off of WCD. It will kill me to destroy such a healthy plant, but the combination is a no-go for me. Is it just me, or does anyone else find it to be bizarre that someone would deliberately combine these two on one plant?

Comments (16)

  • ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
    9 years ago

    Was the Hot Cocoa there without your having been advised that the standard included another rose? I can't think of a worse combination myself and wonder if it wasn't a mistake on the part of the person who grafted the rose. I would contact the vendor and ask for a refund or replacement.

    Ingrid

  • floridarosez9 Morgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I had ordered two Weeping China Doll standards, but these were the only two available. The woman who owns the nursery showed me where to prune off the HC, which is what I plan on doing. The HC is just such a healthy plant I've been putting off committing the murder.

    I just thought it was a very odd combination, and not at all attractive when they're in bloom--plus, it's kind of odd looking. The nursery owner told me the grower said some people like that look. I could see how it might be attractive with a rose that complimented WCD, but I can't imagine how he thought these were a good combination.

    I had never seen HC in person, and while I don't much care for it my garden, it is beautiful in an arrangement.

  • damask55linen
    9 years ago

    I had a beautiful pink rose come back the strangest orange russet color.
    That explains it.
    I have never shovel pruned a rose yet, but have "shovel gifted"
    a few.
    After moving it, thankfully it croaked on it's own in my neighbor's garden.

    Last night it came to me how beautiful Weeping China Doll would be on the slope in the back yard. They are particularly beautiful for achieving an artistic feel.
    I hope some good comes from your rose...
    Linda

  • seil zone 6b MI
    9 years ago

    Don't feel guilty about murdering HC. The blooms can be lovely at times but the plant is the ugliest, gawkiest growing thing in the world! I can't imagine anyone thinking it would make a decent standard of any kind. Unless maybe they were going for some out there modern art look. It has absolutely no grace to it's growth habit at all. Get it off your WCD and forget about it!

  • floridarosez9 Morgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Seil, thank you so much for permission to perform the deed. I'll do it tomorrow. I just needed a kick in the butt to do it. I always feel guilty doing in a healthy plant. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought it a weird combo.

    Linda, WCD would look beautiful on a slope. I love this rose. I have two regular bushes and now the two standards. I hope I don't kill them. I've never attempted any kind of standard before.

    Ingrid, I suspected you wouldn't care for it either. You have such a painter's eye for everything as your garden will attest.

  • cath41
    9 years ago

    Would you consider taking cuttings of the Hot Cocoa and if they take, planting them in your cutting garden to use in flower arrangements? No murder, no looking at ugly bushes in the landscape and more beautiful material for flower arrangements. Even if they do not take you will have gained experience in trying to root cuttings.

    Cath

  • Sow_what? Southern California Inland
    9 years ago

    I think your choice is a good one.I had a slew of Hot Cocoas and hated them. The shrubs were unattractive, and the blooms were an ugly pink most of the time. I recently replaced them with Austins and OGRs, and I'm so happy! Most of the Hot Cocoas were shovel-gifted, with a couple relegated to rose purgatory, a shady, crowded "waiting area" where they are finally blooming in the lovely russet color they claim to be. They're pictured below, and the multi-colored rose in the background is a lovely old Austin that's in flower at least 300 days a year.

    I can't imagine a Hot Cocoa grafted onto a weeping rose standard. After seeing hoovb's heart-stopping Weeping Renae, I hope to have a weeping rose standard some day, and will want to delight in its pure, unadulterated form.

    Enjoy your new trees!

    jannike

  • floridarosez9 Morgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Cath, that is an alternative. I'm pretty good with cuttings. It is very Christmasy-looking with the dark blooms against the dark green, glossy foliage. Probably, though, in my climate it will be pinkish during the hot months.

    Jannike, it's as ugly as you might imagine. I also would love a weeping Renae, but I felt really lucky to get the WCD on Fortuniana.

  • summersrhythm_z6a
    9 years ago

    I'd love to see a photo when both of them in bloom. It should be pretty as one is darker and one is light. It creates a tier in a flower fountain display. :-)

  • ken-n.ga.mts
    9 years ago

    The two together don't sound to great but I grew Hot Cocoa when I lived in Fl.(Winter Haven and Port St. Lucie) This is one of those roses that benefits GREATLY when grafted onto fortuniana root stock. I had one own root, one on Dr Huey and then one on fortuniana. The one own root was a pathetic little thing and the one on Dr Huey wasn't much better. The one on fortuniana was a beautiful 5' tall bush covered in fantastic foliage from top to bottom with those uniquely beautiful blooms that covered the plant. I'm pretty sure Nelson Roses (blue pots) carries it. Check with your local nursery. Or use your computer and go to Nelson Roses web site and find the closest nursery that they stock. I know how you feel about Hot Cocoa. The first time I saw it I went "blawh". Then it's unique color grew on me and it became a wonderful rose in my garden. It's one of those colors that you either end up loving or one you call, "liver on a stick".

  • floridarosez9 Morgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Summers eve, they were both in bloom when I got them, and they weren't very pretty together.

    Ken, liver on a stick was my first reaction when I first saw the delicate pink of WCD next to HC. But when I cut the HCs, I put them in a vase in my kitchen window. After looking at them for awhile, I decided they were kind of appealing. If I got one on Fort, I'd have to put it in the back 40 as I think it would clash with everything else I have.

  • sidos_house
    9 years ago

    Hi, Janet! I'm so glad to see you posting. Hope all is well with you.

    It sounds like you have a bizarre rose on your hands. I would love to see it before you perform corrective surgery.

  • summersrhythm_z6a
    9 years ago

    Thanks floridarosez9 for mentioning this, I'd stay away from this combination, love rose trees. Lost all my rose trees last winter in a shed, there were 36 of them, use to have 50, every year lose a few. This Spring I started with 25 hardy ones (knockouts) in pots, and 3 hardy Canadian Morden Sunrise rose trees (in the garden). Used to have one Fairy rose tree, really loved it. Would like to have another Fairy or two if I can find it..... :-)

  • floridarosez9 Morgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi, Kim. I was just thinking of you yesterday. I'll see if I can get a pic of it. Everytime I figure out how to post pics, ipad does an update, and I have to start over. Of course, I have to wait for it to bloom again since I clipped all the blooms.

    Summerseve, I hope I don't lose these, they're very expensive to have to replace.

  • Brittie - La Porte, TX 9a
    9 years ago

    I can not imagine an uglier combination! Hot Cocoa for me (own root) was a very strong, upright grower. Mine would end the season six feet tall, and four feet wide. I can't even picture that monstrosity grafted on top of anything. I loved HC in my former garden, but couldn't make it work in this one. The only spot available was next to antiques, but it looked terrible. Garish flowers and super straight growth was all wrong next to the soft colors and arching growth of licorice tea and mother dudley. It had to go. I absolutely agree that weeping China doll wouldn't work either. Yikes!

  • floridarosez9 Morgan
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Brittie, thanks for another yes to pruning it off. I intended to do it yesterday, but the weather has been yucky. I still cannot imagine what possessed the grower to combine those particular roses.