by Lydia Holley May 3, 2021
Gardeners took notice when Knock Out roses were introduced because of the plant’s exceptional resistance to blackspot. Looking for a low maintenance rose, homeowners started buying them in abundance. These roses also became popular in commercial plantings.
What does it take to grow a rose such as this? Time. Patience. And a little finagling. First, you must determine which roses have the qualities you wish to have passed down. Then pollinate those roses and wait for hips to form. Inside will be seeds. Grow those, making certain you label the seedlings properly.
Evaluate your new roses. Do they bloom well? Is their growth strong? Can they withstand winter? Be ruthless in discarding those that do not perform well. The more seedlings you start with, the more you will have to destroy, but the greater your chances of success. Bill Radler, the breeder of Knock Out roses, was raising around 600 seedlings each year when that one certain rose seeding came to his attention.
Radler introduced diseased rose leaves to his seedlings, then once again, discarded those that showed little to no resistance. He noticed one particular rose seemed to be outstanding in disease resistance and had good repeat bloom.
Three years later, he showed this rose to a horticultural company. His rose was selected to be propagated and trialed. Eight years later, in 2000, when the Knock Out rose was introduced, it won the All-America Rose award. That year, over 250,000 Knock Out roses were sold. It only took eleven years of preparation for this rose to become an overnight success.
Of course, other rose breeders look for different qualities in their roses. For example, David Austin chooses roses with numerous petals and a rich aroma. Those differences begin from the first step, when determining the parent roses. Otherwise, the process is much the same.
Could you grow a unique and treasured rose? Yes. Even if you never succeed at producing a rose that is grown commercially, breeding roses can be a fun and rewarding passion. Imagine the pride in your heart when you point to a rose and say, “I bred that one myself.”
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email [email protected].
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