The Woodlands Lifestyles & Homes magazine Mar 2010: Cut Roses Add Life to Any Room

As cut flowers, roses have no peer. Their vibrant colors and delicious fragrance are universally admired. There is no flower more suitable for cutting than the rose. Strong, sturdy stems, buds that open slowly and elegantly and the bonus of fragrance make roses a favorite in a cutting garden.

Garden roses love our Texas heat and sunshine, and they make beautiful cut arrangements as well. Hybrid tea roses especially lend themselves to cutting because they usually produce one blossom at the end of the each stem. Virtually all hybrid tea roses are repeat bloomers throughout the growing season, and blossoms may measure as large as 5 inches across.

Be imaginative in using cut roses around the house: a bud vase in the bathroom, a rose bowl beside the bed, a centerpiece on the dining table, an arrangement on the mantel or a Victorian bouquet on the entrance table.

Select blossoms that are just opening or partially opened, but that are no more than 1/3 to 1/2 fully open. Cut them in the early morning or late afternoon, when the plant ’s moisture is highest.

Always use clean, sharp pruners when cutting to prevent damaging the rose canes and spreading

disease. Cut the stem at a 45-degree angle, just above a five-leaflet leaf. A new stem will originate from the bud at the base of the leaf.

Get your roses into water as soon as possible. Bring a bucket of water with you when you cut. If you cut the roses outside without water, either re-cut the stems indoors under water or immediately plunge them into water.

By following some basic guidelines, you can have roses remain fresh-looking for many days. First, remove all thorns and foliage that will be under water in the vase by gently breaking them off. Next, cut off about an inch from each stem with a sharp knife or shears. Leave at least three leaves on the stem, to feed the plant. Make the cut under running water or submerged in a pan of water. Once cut, place roses in a deep container filled with hot (95 degrees F) water. When the water cools, place the entire container in a cool place or refrigerator for several hours. This process is called “conditioning.” It allows cut roses to have a few hours in a cool spot before they are displayed. Conditioning extends their vase life.

When ready to arrange roses, use a clean vase, fresh warm water and a floral preservative. If a floral preservatives is not available, add a splash of lemon/lime soda or even a squeeze of lemon and a tablespoon of sugar to the water in the vase.

Clear glass or crystal vases look best without the use of any type of holders. With other vases, consider using a metal pin holder, pebbles, marbles, florist ’s foam or crumpled chicken wire. When using florist’s foam, soak it thoroughly in water before inserting flower stems.

Finally, keep the rose arrangement out of direct sun and drafts and in as cool a place as possible. Add fresh water daily to keep stems immersed or change water every day.

If your roses seem to be wilting, that means water is not able to flow through the stem. Re-cut the stem bottoms and submerge them in very warm water and let them sit for about an hour before replacing them in the vase.

All roses are beautiful, but add the dimension of fragrance and you have exceptional roses. The nine roses listed here were chosen by All America Rose Selections as having “Fabulous Fragrance.” All are zone hardy for the Houston climate.

Double Delight

Double Delight, a hybrid tea rose with a long blooming season has double blossoms with a rich, creamy white to pale pink center and deep, ruby edging. Expect a sweet, spicy scent.

Elle

Elle, another hybrid tea rose, has blossoms of a soft, shell pink set off by glossy, dark green foliage and a spicy, citrusy scent. Elle makes an excellent cut flower, with 4-5 inch wide blooms held on 10-14 inch stems.

4th of July

4th of July is the first climbing rose to win the AARS award in more than 20 years. The blossoms are everything you would expect from a rose named 4th of July —clusters of large 4-inch flowers in vibrant red with white stripes on 10-14 foot arching canes. The scent is exceptional, and 4th of July has the added bonus of being a repeat bloomer.

Honey Perfume

Honey Perfume is a rarity—a scented floribunda. A spicy scent and apricot yellow blooms set Honey Perfume apart from other floribundas. Growing about 3-4 feet high and 2-3 feet wide, Honey Perfume makes a great low hedge.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a definite front runner for fragrance. As AARS puts it, “Experts say one bloom perfumes almost an entire room.” A hybrid tea, Memorial Day has 5-inch, clear pink blossoms with a lavender glow. The fragrance is similar to that of old fashioned damask roses. Cutting stems are nice and long, and the bushes are an especially good choice for hot climates.

Midas Touch

Midas Touch with its golden yellow blossoms, can be found in many Southern gardens. It shines with 4-inch blossoms on an upright 5-foot plant. Another hybrid tea beauty, Midas Touch has a warm, musky scent.

Mr. Lincoln

Mr. Lincoln, a velvety, deep red hybrid tea, is one of the most popularly grown garden roses. Beautiful as well as strongly scented, Mr. Lincoln ’s blossoms top stiff, upright stems.

Scentimental

Scentimental, a spicy scented floribunda, was the first striped rose to win the AARS award. With burgundy and creamy white stripes, Scentimental hardly needs its wonderful fragrance to attract attention, but its scent is what made it an award winner.

Sun Sprinkles

Sun Sprinkles, a miniature rose, has brilliant yellow blooms that open early and repeat all summer. One of only a few scented minis, Sun Sprinkles is a great choice even in a garden with limited space. A low and mounded plant, Sun Sprinkles can be used as an edger or in containers. The spicy, musky fragrance and vivid color make people stop for a closer look. l

Information in this article comes from the Texas

Horticulture Program and About.com.