Rose Pros And Cons

Roses are legendary plants. Many works of art are devoted to them. Roses were the attributes of royal coats of arms and flags. So it is not surprising that the rose is the number one flower in the world.

Today I will tell you all the advantages and disadvantages of these plants. Of course, I will look at roses from a gardener’s perspective, so I can leave out a few things.

Pro: Flowers

Flowers are the main advantage of roses as plants. In fact, the rose flower has a unique structure and there are almost no analogs in the flower world. Flower size varies, but there are varieties with very large flowers.

First of all, the classic Mr. Lincoln variety should be mentioned here. It was bred quite a long time ago and has since won the hearts of many. It has bright red flowers six or more inches across! The petals are also huge. All of this makes for a unique look.

Besides red roses, many other varieties are ranging in color from white and yellow to almost black (Rosa ‘Black Baccara’).

If you decide to plant roses in your garden, you will have an advantage in your choice, because not all flowering plants can boast such a huge number of varieties.

Pro: Foliage and thorns

Leaves and thorns are two other advantages of roses. It is the thorns that give roses the charisma for which they are so prized. Although the thorns are not so large, they are still an undeniable highlight of these plants.

The second is the leaves. Rose leaves are usually no more than 2 to 3 inches long, but their dark green color makes them even more mysterious. Leaves combined with bright red flowers and sharp thorns are an explosive mix in the world of ornamental plants.

Although the thorns can be considered both an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. Despite their ornamental value, thorns can cause a lot of inconvenience to humans. For this reason, do not plant roses close to paths or driveways.

Pro: Reblooming

Most roses bloom once a season. It usually happens in the second half of spring, depending on the climate zone. The average flowering time is two weeks.

But many varieties of roses bloom twice a year. The Autumn Damask Rose, for example, is a repeat bloomer. A second bloom can occur in the second half of summer or fall.

Some varieties bloom on a particular cycle. For example, the ‘Peace’ variety blooms for the first time in spring. This is followed by a seed ripening period that lasts 3-4 weeks. Then the rose blooms again, and that will continue until the first frost.

Finally, some roses bloom throughout the season without interruption. Knock Out Roses is one of these. From all of this, it follows that roses have a huge advantage in bringing flowers to your garden. If you choose the right varieties, you can count on a constant supply of beautiful flowers in your yard almost all year round (except winter).

Pro: Fragrance

Beautiful flowers are not the only reason why roses are valued so much. Another advantage is the fragrance. Of all the varieties available, some are less fragrant and some have a very strong scent.

The first one worth mentioning here is Rosa ‘Honey Perfume’. The fragrance is quite tangible and pleasant, but it is not overpowering. The color of the petals is apricot and looks unique. Another plus is that Rosa ‘Honey Perfume’ flowering all season.

The next one is Heritage Rose. It also has a nice sweet scent that is a bit like the smell of citrus. In addition to the smell, this variety has large flowers with lots of pink petals. The flower is cup-shaped and looks very exciting.

Pro: Climbing varieties

Among roses there is one very interesting type, the climbing rose. These are plants that cling to the framework and grow in the direction you give them. As a result, you can get a very interesting form with wonderful flowers. Among flowering plants, the climbing growth habit is not that common.

One of the most popular varieties of climbing rose is the ‘Claire Austin’. This rose has large creamy white flowers with lots of petals. Its pleasant fragrance and repeated blooms make it far superior to most others.

Rosa ‘Crown Princess Margareta’ is another variety worth considering. Its flowers are orange in color. The countless number of petals makes the flowers very fluffy. This variety has a very strong fragrance and rebloom.

Pro: Hardiness

The excellent hardiness of roses is a definite advantage. A large number of varieties can be grown from zone 4. These plants do not need to be covered for the winter. The only thing that can damage them is a late frost, but injuries are rarely critical and roses recover quickly.

One of the most frost-resistant varieties is Cinderella. This variety was bred in Germany and can be grown in zones 4-9. The flowers are large with white and pink petals. The distinctive feature of this variety is good resistance to diseases and pests.

But Oso Easy Hot Paprika Rose is even more hardy. It can handle frost even in zone 3! This variety has an open flower shape with few petals. But the red-orange color makes this rose very noticeable.

Con: Diseases

The main disadvantage of roses is disease susceptibility. Of course, not all varieties are the same in this respect, some are more resistant, but some are very much affected by diseases.

First of all, this applies to fungal diseases that affect the leaves of roses. As a result, black spots appear on the leaves. To get rid of this disease, you need to ensure good air circulation around the plant and spray it with fungicide.

The second is mildew. It is a disease that affects roses very often. The most susceptible variety is the popular Crimson Glory. Treatment methods are similar to the first case.

If you choose roses, you should be prepared that they can get sick.

Con: Some varieties are large

Another small disadvantage of roses is that some popular varieties can reach a large size. On the one hand, the large size increases the visibility of the rose, but on the other hand, the traffic around them is difficult. This is when thorns are a disadvantage because if the bush is large, you can easily get hurt walking past it.

Very often, there is not enough space in the yard for large varieties of roses, so gardeners have to choose compact varieties.

For example, the popular Heirloom Roses can easily reach 8 feet in height and width. Accordingly, they are beyond the reach of many.

Of course, partially the problem of large size can be solved by pruning. But in general, if you have a small garden, not all varieties will be available to you.

Con: Some varieties can fall apart

Some rose varieties can fall apart under the weight of the leaves and flowers. This usually happens during storms or simply in the wind and rain. This is an unquestionable disadvantage of roses, although it must be said that not all varieties fall apart.

To avoid that, you better choose a tried-and-true rose variety that has no problem in this respect. Or you can install support (cage, etc.) for your roses if they tend to fall apart.

Con: Roses are messy

And the last disadvantage on this list is the messiness. Roses are quite trashy plants. This is especially true of large varieties and varieties with a large number of petals. After blooming, it will all be on the ground.

In addition, you will get a portion of fallen leaves in the fall. Although here I have to say that some plants are even more trashy than roses.