My beautiful Climbing Rose bush

by La Mac

+108

Answered

This rose bush use to be white, my husband cut it down thinking it was dead a few yrs ago. A twig came up and now it's this!! Any idea why it changed colors and what type of rose this is?

3654714/my beautiful climbing rose bush, gardening

103 answers

The Garden Frog with C Renee on May 08, 2014
many times roses, specialty shrubs and trees are grafted on top of a stock plant. In this case, the original rose took over after your husband cut it down and removed the grafted plant. She is a beauty! don't you just love when you get such surprises?

Helpful Reply
Lorraine on May 08, 2014
It's the graft - I would go to the library or on line and look up antique and old roses and see if you can get an idea which one they grafted your white rose to. The old roots are stronger and the old roses are less suseptible to disease and so they use them for the newer floribundas and tea roses. I personally adore the old roses, they have a great scent, are not prone to the ailments of today's plants and the only downside I can come up with is that they often bloom only once. I would keep her just the way she is - she is gorgeous!

Helpful Reply
Chris aka monkey on May 08, 2014
@La Mac i am so jealous she is a thing of beauty and is the original rose that had been grafted on as everyone else said enjoy her xx

Helpful Reply
Ona Garwood on May 08, 2014
The white rose was grafted. The remaining red rose is the root stock.

Helpful Reply

Julie Ryan on May 08, 2014
You've never seen Disney's Alice in Wonderland? "They're painting the roses red..." Of course.

Helpful Reply
Cindy Pringle on May 08, 2014
My hubby did the same to my pink rose and I now have the same red rose as that lol

Helpful Reply
Kellie Alexander on May 08, 2014
Not sure but I think this is called a Rambling Rose.

Helpful Reply
Toni Johns on May 08, 2014
Hubby may have felt bad and replaced it while you weren't looking. He bought the wrong color by mistake. Love hubby for trying.......disclaimer: this is just a theory. ;)

Helpful Reply
Carol Mitchell on May 08, 2014
I never knew this. I had the same thing happen at my old house only it was lovely yellow roses that then became red. I just thought perhaps it was cross pollen with the red one in the back.

Helpful Reply

Jean Santjer on May 08, 2014
I have several Ramblin' Red roses that look like that. They are a climbing, or long branched rose, rather than a compact bush.

Helpful Reply
Margie on May 08, 2014
yes I have had that happen over the years.sometimes the cold winters kill the bush down and it will come back below the grafted rose and its always red no matter what it was before the cold killed it ..

Helpful Reply
Amy F on May 08, 2014
I heard it referred to as "Rambling Red".

Helpful Reply
Carolynm on May 08, 2014
I had the Rambling Rose (hearty stock) in my front yard at another house. Your husband cut it down past the graft (white rose). The RR will live forever.

Helpful Reply
Cyndie Bronowski on May 08, 2014
I've had the same things happen twice. Now I have two beautiful red rose bushes. The grafted rose probably didn't survive the cold we've had here.

Helpful Reply
Lora H on May 08, 2014
It must have been grafted...

Helpful Reply
Angie Long on May 08, 2014
Most roses are grafted onto a common root stock. If the plant was cut back for enough, the root stock is the only thing left.

Helpful Reply
Lmp339647 on May 08, 2014
I have bee hives and they changed the color of my flowers.

Helpful Reply
Claire Kowkabzadeh on May 08, 2014
It's come off the root stock. Some sort of Antique Rose. I have a white bush that grew a sucker off the roots that is blooming red,so now I have white and red on the same bush.

Helpful Reply
Jane Hawes on May 08, 2014
Most roses are grafted onto another rose root system, sonetimes the grafted part dies off and the root takes over

Helpful Reply
Valerie Thomas on May 08, 2014
Like the others said most roses are are grafted on hardier, vigorous root stock to help them grow and survive easier. The most common root stock used is called Dr. Huey, it is red and look just like your rose bush.

Helpful Reply
Janine Rockwell Clark on May 08, 2014
Yes... It looks like it was grafted, he cut it down past the graft, the root stock survived ... Looks like dr Huey rootstock maybe?

Helpful Reply
Susan Haynes on May 08, 2014
this same thing has happened to me when the original rose died and the root sent out the red ones.

Helpful Reply
Carolyn A on May 08, 2014
Most roses are grafted to hardy roots of other roses. If you cut it way back, the grafted part may die and the rootstock will live.

Helpful Reply
Julie Voss on May 08, 2014
Hybrid roses are often grafted on to the root systems of hardier bush types. . .once the graft was cut off you got the original rooted rose

Helpful Reply
Clairli Thrower on May 08, 2014
It has gone back to the wild. Mine did the same thing!!

Helpful Reply
Rose grage on May 08, 2014
Strange... I have purple tulips , that are now coming in yellow.... Go figure!

Helpful Reply
Herlinda Sanchez on May 08, 2014
I have a rose bush that was white n I planted next to a red rose, now I get mix dots on the white roses, they look awesome,

Helpful Reply
Kelli Blanton on May 08, 2014
Alice dropped by and painted the roses red!

Helpful Reply
Jennifer Pierce on May 08, 2014
It is root stock............. You can dig it out, and it should be gone then.

Helpful Reply
Jackie I on May 08, 2014
I have that same bush! It used to be a beautiful peach color with a yellow center! My husband cut it down and he thought he dug it all out but a shoot showed up weeks later so I saved it!

Helpful Reply
Chris Knutson on May 08, 2014
Root stock, I think it's called Dr. Wilson. Very hardy roots, not such a great looker.

Helpful Reply
Denise White on May 08, 2014
Root stock. Beautiful!

Helpful Reply
Linda White on May 08, 2014
My dad has a rose bush that has varied colors of pink and red roses on it. Another bush used to be orange and pink and is now red. Wierd.

Helpful Reply
Sue Cranmer on May 08, 2014
Same thing happened here. I cut down a Peace rose I no longer wanted to the ground and one like this came up.mits root stock. I'm just hoping it blooms continuously.

Helpful Reply
Jill Adams on May 08, 2014
Same thing happened to my berry bush, I planted Red Current, 2 winters later, I thought a hard freeze killed it, but white currents came back.

Helpful Reply
Phyllis Gresser on May 08, 2014
Looks like a blaze rose bush- it is a climbing red rose!

Helpful Reply
Lucy Greer on May 08, 2014
It is the root I have some that have done that, I try to dig them out but they just keep coming back.

Helpful Reply
Carol Grugett Lee on May 08, 2014
Like Phyllis said it looks like a Blaze, they are the most common used as root stock. They usually only bloom once a year and they are climbers.

Helpful Reply
Paula Coffman on May 08, 2014
Usually color change comes from the change of acidity in the soil

Helpful Reply
Linda Labbe on May 08, 2014
A lot of the newer roses are grafted onto a hardier rootstock (as previously mentioned) so it sounds like your husband pruned it down below the graft and the original rose from the rootstock took its place. At least you know it's hardy! :D

Helpful Reply
- Teri S on May 08, 2014
  @Linda Labbe I am glad finally explained the "root stock" comments... thanks for explaining what it means (grafted)... I thought I was going to have to!! LOL
  
  Helpful
Lilli H on May 08, 2014
Many roses are grafted.

Helpful Reply
Karen Kearney on May 08, 2014
It has came back a wild rose it probally froze below where it was grafted.

Helpful Reply
Cathy Montague J on May 08, 2014
It was a hybrid rose plant. what you are seeing is just one of the "ingredients" used to create your white rose.

Helpful Reply
Eirene Simmons on May 08, 2014
Its not nice to fool Mother Nature!

Helpful Reply
Machelle Marlatt on May 08, 2014
Mom used to put nails at roots in the fall. Iron makes change color. ?????

Helpful Reply
Karen Eddy on May 08, 2014
many roses are grafted on to hardier stock so that they will produce better. If you trim it so short that you cut off all the graft only the hardy root stock will come up and it will be a different rose

Helpful Reply
- Joanie on May 09, 2014
  @Karen Eddy You are right! My Dad used to work in a garden center when he was young and he told me all about grafting roses.
  
  Helpful
Donna Foster on May 08, 2014
my neighbor right next door has a rose like that. The roots came in my yard and those roses keep popping up all over my front and back yard. I had a really pretty yellow rose that wasn't doing very well, and after two years when it bloomed it was red and is the same rose that is in my neighbors front yard.

Helpful Reply
Sherry C on May 08, 2014
This is a rootstock rose called Dr. Huey. See more about it here: http://www.ehow.com/list_7672600_roses-used-grafting.html

Helpful Reply
Bonnie D on May 08, 2014
Grafting!

Helpful Reply
Carole on May 08, 2014
Like someone else here mentioned, your hubby probably cut it down to the original rose bush which had red flowers if allowed to flourish and the white roses you had before had been grafted onto that red rose base. A nice surprise though nonetheless I am guessing!

Helpful Reply
Judy4justice on May 08, 2014
I bought a tri colored rose bush 3 years ago,pink/purple and yellow all on the same bush.After the first year it now only blooms purple.Can someone explain that to me??

Helpful Reply
- Michelle Eliker on May 09, 2014
  @Judy4justice Two possibilities: The purple graft was more vigorous and overwhelmed the other two by using more of the nutrients, water etc. or you accidentally pruned out too much of the other two colors and they couldn't compete with the purple. Very similar to how root-stock will often overwhelm the grafted rose because it is hardier. If the root-stock shoots aren't pruned out they will absorb all the nutrients and leave little for the grafted plant.
  
  Helpful
Ronda Johnson on May 08, 2014
I used to have one that was cut back below the graft and the root stock was Josephs Coat several different colors of rose on one plant... I would love to have another.

Helpful Reply
Rachelle D on May 08, 2014
Oh you got lucky! Most root stock doesn't turn out to be very nice and that is beautiful! Enjoy! :-)

Helpful Reply
Kellie Schaub on May 08, 2014
This happened with my yellow rose bush.

Helpful Reply
Peggy on May 09, 2014
I don't know, but it's beautiful!

Helpful Reply
Nita O on May 09, 2014
it looks to me like a climbing antique tea rose....?

Helpful Reply
Kathy W on May 09, 2014
Grafting is right. I had a yellow climbing rose that did the exact same thing!

Helpful Reply
Sandi Goodell on May 09, 2014
If your soil is acidic, it will do that too.

Helpful Reply
- Victoria on May 09, 2014
  That applies to hydrangeas...this is more likely that the plant died back to the root stock, which was a red rose.
  
  Helpful
Susan Steele on May 09, 2014
It's now a wild rose-- agree I love them more than tea roses

Helpful Reply
Marlene Gallis on May 09, 2014
I think the Red Queen sent her painters to paint the roses red!

Helpful Reply
Victoria on May 09, 2014
FYI there is a Hometalk Gardening page that is great for these kind of questions also, I know, I'm addicted :)

Helpful Reply
Peggy D on May 09, 2014
Your rose was grafted onto a hardier rootstock. It looks like a climbing Blaze to me. It is pretty normal for something to be grafted like that. You are fortunate! The ones I have had do that were Rugosas that only bloomed once in the Spring.

Helpful Reply
Lisa Weisedel on May 09, 2014
Gorgeous and I just learned a lot in a couple minutes...Going to be trying my hand at roses someday soon. Would love to grow something like this!!!

Helpful Reply
Susie Delp on May 09, 2014
This is the main rose root the white was graphed on to it.

Helpful Reply
B. Reynolds on May 09, 2014
I have one that missed it's graft and looks like one of those wild 7 sisters roses. Now I need to remove it because it grows bigger and is getting in the other rose.

Helpful Reply
Nancy Wimberley on May 09, 2014
Almost all roses are grafted on to nematode resistant root stock. The most commonly used rootstock is Dr Huey. This rootstock is producing since your husband probably cut off whatever variety was grafted in.

Helpful Reply
Sandi Maurer on May 09, 2014
I have heard it is the acid in your soil that can change the colors !!!

Helpful Reply
Rose S on May 09, 2014
The white rose was grafted onto the rootstock. Hubby cut it down to the original rootstock, hence now red roses.

Helpful Reply
Rebecca M on May 09, 2014
I agree that it is he rose growing from the root stock after the grafted part died. I have a couple that I still grow because they are pretty, and in my case, I think the root stock is Dr. Huey, I have read that it is one of the more popular rootstocks in my area.

Helpful Reply
Sandra K Gibson on May 09, 2014
It's all down to how far he pruned it,past the grafting area,the root stock is now producing it's originol species

Helpful Reply
Rebecca M on May 09, 2014
Forgot to mention that my Dr Huey looks like yours. It is semi double, dark red, and blooms once.

Helpful Reply
Norma R on May 09, 2014
What a lucky gardener you are. Surprise! A gift for you.

Helpful Reply
Patricia Laursen on May 09, 2014
I had a yellow rose. The same thing happened. My husband cut it off and it was then pink.

Helpful Reply
Lynne Shepard on May 09, 2014
WOW, He definitely nipped it at the grafting point! What a beautiful surprise!!!

Helpful Reply
Angie on May 09, 2014
My guess is the Ph of your soil changed. You can change the color of flowers, like hydrangeas, for instance; by changing the Ph of the soil. You usually do this using specific forms of fertilizer. But, it can also be done by simply working the soil or mulching or what not.

Helpful Reply
- Lynne Shepard on May 09, 2014
  @Angie PH doesn't cause this much of a change. Definitely was cut just below the graft. Gorgeous outcome!!!
  
  Helpful
Judy4justice on May 09, 2014
I didn't prune it hardly at all so the purple graft must have been stronger.I kept hoping it might start to bloom different colors again this year but so far just the purple.Thanks.

Helpful Reply
Tina Varney Gibson on May 09, 2014
It was cut past the grafted point and it looks like a climber called Blaze.

Helpful Reply
Angela Sylvester on May 09, 2014
Its def very beautiful!

Helpful Reply
Theresa Thomas Gibson on May 09, 2014
I had a beautiful yellow that didn't survive the winter. The root stock is putting off shoots. I cant wait to see what comes out.

Helpful Reply
Patty McCraw on May 09, 2014
This happened to me a few years ago. I bought it as a peach colored rose bush. The next year when it come back out it was a red climber. I just couldn't imagine but someone told me it must have been cross pollinated. I had one peach rose and the rest of it was small red roses.

Helpful Reply
Brenda Salsman on May 09, 2014
It has reverted back to the original wild base color it was used when the white was being propagated. any time they suffer age,trauma or drought they have a tendency to do it

Helpful Reply
Cathie F on May 09, 2014
When they are graft they will revert back to the natural color many plants do this I have had pink tulips turn red yellow iris turn purple it's normal for this to happen when cross breading is involved

Helpful Reply
A.E. Zaring on May 09, 2014
I bought eight different rose bushes that were all different colors, we planted them in different areas of the yard~well my husband got tired of having to mow around all of them so we dug them up and moved them all to one arbor in our yard~now they are all red~no white, no yellow no blush no candy cane~just all red~

Helpful Reply
Brenda Salsman on May 09, 2014
I have about 6 of my 36 that have gone back to a coral color that I used when I started grafting and propagating. I just use them for cutting for new grafting

Helpful Reply
Norma Rodgers on May 09, 2014
They go back to their original color before they were grafted. I have a climber that was yellow now it looks like this.

Helpful Reply
Jillian Frederick on May 09, 2014
It's due to PH level of the soil

Helpful Reply
- Juliet O on May 12, 2014
  @Jillian Frederick That's hydrangeas, not roses. The grafting comments are correct. The original root stock is a Blaze climbing rose. ~Interior Decorator ~Certified Landscape Designer
  
  Helpful
Mary Guerra on May 09, 2014
A climber. I have one

Helpful Reply
Sharon on May 09, 2014
hybrid roses are grafted onto a root rose, sometimes blaze as in this case, and the top will be a different rose{the white one}. If you nick it, cut it, or some diseases will cause the root rose to begin growing , in some cases both will grow at the same time with a two toned rose. This is true of all hybrid roses tho some are different root stock.

Helpful Reply
Jackie Prim on May 09, 2014
I LOVE THE SPRING<3

Helpful Reply
Lori on May 09, 2014
Any other plants you want to change the color of? Just go have your husband cut it down, it looks like he's got the magic touch! LOL! Your roses are BEAUTIFUL!!!

Helpful Reply
Beth Cole Byrne on May 09, 2014
It has nothing to do with the pH of the soil. Very often, the variety you buy is grafted onto a hardy root stock. I don't remember the name of this one, but it's the most common variety to graft onto. If the white dies out, the root stock grows, and that's what has happened here. Here's a link that explains things: http://www.denverrosesociety.org/education/Dr_Huey.pdf

Helpful Reply
Donna Byram on May 09, 2014
This happened to my yellow rose bush one time and a master gardener told me that whenever you trim past the graft it will revert back to the original color. The bush was in sad shape and my hubby trimmed it to about 6 inches tall and sure enough, went from yellow to red roses.

Helpful Reply
Jane P on May 10, 2014
It looks like Mr. Lincoln which is a common, but beautiful rose and that was your rose's root stalk. It is so beautiful!

Helpful Reply
Tracy Gilmore on May 10, 2014
the white rose would have been grafted onto the red, if your hubby cut the rose right back its highly likely he cut the grafted area out leaving you with the red. its the same as planting the bush too deep the main rootstock could regrow be stronger and take over. http://www.gardensmart.tv/?p=articles&title=How_To_Plant_A_Grafted_Rosebush

Helpful Reply
Tanya Peterson Felsheim on May 10, 2014
I battle the regrowth of the root stock of some very very old roses that have lived longer than I have possibly. They throw shoots off and I just have to keep them trimmed back. So far they have not been able to rob the roses of their beauty yet...took this picture the other day...still waiting for the cold to go away to plant this garden up good, and thought I would allow the rose to enjoy some growth this year (haha just forgot to retrim them down in February!)

1 marked as helpful Reply
- See 1 previous
- JoAnn Preen on Mar 22, 2015
  @Tanya Peterson Felsheim Beautiful. What is the name of the rose?
  
  Helpful
- La Mac on May 08, 2016
  I really don't know. It was there when we moved in. And, it was white!! 😃
  
  1 marked as helpful
Deanna Nassar on Nov 05, 2016
Had same thing happen. My white tea rose died and the root was a red climber with very thick stems that seemed intent on taking over a nearby tree.

Helpful Reply
Sherry Siedenburg on Nov 06, 2016
Sometimes.this happens with hybrids. One of the plants in the combination becomes dominant and eventually eradicates the other

Helpful Reply
CeeJay on Nov 06, 2016
A rose with the preferred look is grafted to a more robust root stock. The "preferred" rose stock will freeze or in your case, was pruned back too far so that only the root stock is left. So congratulations, you have a robust, proven red rose. Enjoy it.

Helpful Reply
Alice M. Caswell on Sep 25, 2018

I've been taking cuttings of my roses for years, so if something happens, and they revert back to their original rootstock of Dr. Huey, etc. I still have the rosebush the color I bought. There are many sites on-line with experienced folks to show you how to propagate roses from cuttings. I've had the best luck taking my cuttings in early spring. It's very disappointing spending good money on a rose bush, and having it revert back to the red rootstock which only blooms once a year.

Helpful Reply
Jeanne Grunert on Sep 25, 2018

It came up from the original root stock. Most commercially grown roses are grafted onto hardier root stock. What a lovely rose though!

Helpful Reply
Chloe Crabtree on Mar 22, 2022

Obviously your white rose bush was grafted on this red rose stock. It is beautiful! Enjoy!

1 marked as helpful Reply
Lyn D on Apr 11, 2022

Its a beaut.

Helpful Reply
Chloe Crabtree on Sep 19, 2022

Likely, the white bush was grafted onto a red rose root and when your husband cut it down, he cut it all the way to the root and the white graft is gone. This is lovely, enjoy!

Helpful Reply

Related Discussions

GNATS - How to get rid of them?

Gina Garbo Answered 5 days ago

Somehow my house and garden got tiny gnats that killed my fuchsia plant and fly everywhere. I have tried ALL the Web recommendations - soap and oil dishes, sand in th... See more

122

See Answers

Marigolds growing! Should I pinch the buds?

Dianne King Answered on Jan 29, 2024

My marigold plants are growing. I heard that pinching the buds until Autumn will allow them to grow without killing the plant. Is this true?

See Answers

Growing garlic

Decor&Dine Answered on Jan 01, 2024

Growing our first garlic, should we wait until the leaves are drying out before we pick it? Husband picked first one today along with our first potatoes.

See Answers

How to keep mice out of your garden?

Debra Answered on Sep 22, 2023

Hi everyone, I have mice in my garden destroying my vegetables and I have also noticed them in the barn and shed. Please can someone tell me how to prevent them from ... See more

See Answers

What's the best flower/plant to grow in Texas?

Susan Answered 4 days ago

I know that opinions vary, but what's your opinion?!I have great luck w Rosemary plants. Green all year long.

See Answers

Why have all the leaves fell off my rose bush?

Laura Hayes Answered on Jun 26, 2017

See Answers

My Rose Bush looks bad!!

AnnMarie @ Musings of a Vintage Junkie Answered on Mar 16, 2017

My rose bush bloomed beautifully this spring and then I noticed some of the leaves had black spots. Before I had a chance to do anything all the leaves fell off and i... See more

my rose bush looks bad, That s my rose bush with no leaves

See Answers

My beautiful Climbing Rose bush

Suggested Project Book

14 Topiary Techniques That Are Insanely Popular This Fall

Other

More

My beautiful Climbing Rose bush

Suggested Project Book