Author Topic: Whisky Mac rose - is it grafted?  (Read 2154 times)

gray1720

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Whisky Mac rose - is it grafted?
« on: December 29, 2020, 19:15:22 »
I  expect this is today's dumb question, but does anyone know whether Whisky Mac is grafted? SWMBO's plant (a Valentine's gift back when we both still had all our own hair and marbles) has died off above ground, but is busy throwing vigorous shoots from just below ground level. If it's not grafted, great! If it is, and the shoots are from the rootstock.... time to get her another one!

Thanks,

Adrian
 
My garden is smaller than your Rome, but my pilum is harder than your sternum!

Obelixx

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Re: Whisky Mac rose - is it grafted?
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2020, 20:34:32 »
As far as I'm aware all named rose varieties are grafted onto a rootstock because this is the only way to guarantee you get the variety you want on a commercial scale - by budding or grafting them.

Home gardeners taking cuttings will get roses with their own root system which will affect vigour so you'll get the same flowers as the parent but not necessarily the same form and the advantage of never having to remove shoots coming up from the roots as they'll be just more flowering shoots.
Obxx - Vendée France

Digeroo

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Re: Whisky Mac rose - is it grafted?
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2020, 10:09:38 »
The leaves on rootstock are normally slightly different from the grafted material.  They normally have more leaflets normally seven instead of five and tend to have more smaller thorns.  And the stems often have a slight reddish tinge or can be very green.

gray1720

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Re: Whisky Mac rose - is it grafted?
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2020, 15:58:28 »
Thank you both for that - I had a feeling most roses were grafted, I guess I'm thinking of the odd species rose as well.

I've just been out to have a quick snout before it gets too dark, and the new shoots appear to have five leaflets (I'm assuming that the stock would be something like sweet briar, which has seven?), so  I shall cross my fingers and hope. Mind you, if it does cark it, we're practically on first name terms with the staff at our local nursery anyway, so I'm sure they can find me one...

If it turns out to be the rootstock I'll shove it in the hedge where a bit of extra prickle will not go amiss!
My garden is smaller than your Rome, but my pilum is harder than your sternum!

 

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