----- Original Message -----
From:
m*@ocsnet.net
To: m*@ucdavis.edu
Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2004 6:59
PM
Subject: Re: Roses
Hello all,
When I lived in the East Bay I grew
'Apricot Nectar' which I loved. This rose didn't mind the fog and it
never got any diseases, was very fragrant and had long stems for cut
flowers.
As far as taking cuttings, I have never attempted
that, but when I lived in Arkansas we had several old world roses growing on
our farm that must have been planted years earlier. One in particular -
which I believe was Violacea, that - to this day - I regret not getting a
cutting of. The rose was about 5 feet high with almost thornless
branches, bloomed only once a season, had huge sprays of the most
wonderfully perfumed flowers about 4 inches in diameter - a double row of
purplish petals with a yellow center. Violacea was tolerant of the
intense heat and humidity of Arkansas, was growing in partial shade, stayed
alive on its own (the farm had been neglected for 10 years before we moved
there) but was happier and healthier looking with a small amount of compost
and fertilizer. I am still looking for this rose to grow - if
anyone knows of a source - please let me know.
Does anyone know of some rose varieties to grow
for their hips? I would like to utilize them for their
winter interest and also for a tea for vitamin C intake. I have planted
two small one gallon roses, Rosa californica and Rose
woodsii, which I purchased from a native plant nursery but I
have not seen them with fruit - so I don't know if they will produce good
hips. My climate here in the summer is very hot and dry with some wind
every afternoon.
Thank you.
Linda Starr
Springville Gardens
Dear Linda,
Rosa californica has
beautiful hips. In fact I think that the hips are the major attraction of this
plant. They last for at least a month and are big and bright red. They
are rather tasty too, though filled with an unpleasant quantity of seeds. Mine
here in El Cerrito is never watered or cared for in any way. It thrives in our
clay soil just outside the drip area of a mature Coast Live Oak (Quercus
agrifolia).
Every year it produces seedlings from seed
consumed by birds who love the big juicy hips as well. I dig and give away as
many young plants as possible but find myself weeding the many unwanted
plants.
I should add that this
plant is uphill of a creek which probably feeds water to some of the roots
which penetrate
down to the water table. I doubt that this plant
could survive without supplemental watering in a drier setting.
I've seen Rosa woodsii
in the wild in the Fall all hipped out. Seemed rather nice, but have not
experienced this plant in the garden.
Regards, Tim
Kalman
