Rosette disease on a rose stem.
Q. I keep hearing about Rose Rosette disease, what is it?
A. Rose Rosette disease is a virus or virus-like disease of roses which has become quite common in the Wichita area. The vector or carrier is a microscopic eriophyoid mite which is blown by the wind into your garden from an infected plant. The infected plant could be some distance away. When the mite feeds on your rose bush the rose becomes infected with the disease. There is no cure.
The symptoms of rose rosette are aberrant growth often characterized by witches broom (often, but not always, red), excessive thorniness, and rubbery thorns and canes. The growth is very weird and you will notice it. You should immediately remove the cane at the ground or bud union and bag it. Watch for symptoms to reoccur. Occasionally you can save a plant by removing the cane before the disease reaches the bud union or roots. If aberrant growth reoccurs, you should remove the plant, bag it tightly and put it in the trash. You should remove as many large roots as possible because they can sprout infected foliage. This should be done with both grafted and own-root roses.
Herbicide damage can look somewhat like rose rosette, and if you are aware of Roundup or some other herbicide being used where it could have drifted onto the rose, you can wait to see if new growth shows damage. It can take up to a year for a rose to recover from herbicide damage. It is always best to remove damaged canes to protect your other roses from potential infection.
There is an excellent E-Book with color pictures authored by ARS Consulting Rosarian, Ann Peck, to be found at www.rosegeeks.com.
- Betsy Latta
A. Rose Rosette disease is a virus or virus-like disease of roses which has become quite common in the Wichita area. The vector or carrier is a microscopic eriophyoid mite which is blown by the wind into your garden from an infected plant. The infected plant could be some distance away. When the mite feeds on your rose bush the rose becomes infected with the disease. There is no cure.
The symptoms of rose rosette are aberrant growth often characterized by witches broom (often, but not always, red), excessive thorniness, and rubbery thorns and canes. The growth is very weird and you will notice it. You should immediately remove the cane at the ground or bud union and bag it. Watch for symptoms to reoccur. Occasionally you can save a plant by removing the cane before the disease reaches the bud union or roots. If aberrant growth reoccurs, you should remove the plant, bag it tightly and put it in the trash. You should remove as many large roots as possible because they can sprout infected foliage. This should be done with both grafted and own-root roses.
Herbicide damage can look somewhat like rose rosette, and if you are aware of Roundup or some other herbicide being used where it could have drifted onto the rose, you can wait to see if new growth shows damage. It can take up to a year for a rose to recover from herbicide damage. It is always best to remove damaged canes to protect your other roses from potential infection.
There is an excellent E-Book with color pictures authored by ARS Consulting Rosarian, Ann Peck, to be found at www.rosegeeks.com.
- Betsy Latta
