rose rosette virus

[bj taylor]

just reading how it is sweeping America destroying roses. the rugosas are the only ones showing any resistance. it's carried by a mite. this may not be correct, but I thought I read that the knock outs were the first ones to show it. it shows as a bull cane w/extra thorniness & witches broom. they're saying the rose can't be saved & it's best to remove all roses including roots & not replant for a couple of years. WOW! that sounds very extreme. I haven't seen anything like this in my landscape so far (knock on wood - as I knock on my head).

these viruses seem to show up from time to time & devastate a plant type. red tip photina is a case in point. ultimately roses will show which plants have a natural resistance. in the mean time, us rose lovers may be in for a rough time.

 

[digitS']

BJ, I didn't do a google search of the rose rosette problem.

Any mention of witches broom makes me think about the possibility of herbicides.

Looking at it your information, do you see confidence in the virus and mites as the problem?

Steve

 

[bj taylor]

steve, i'm willing to consider anything and herbicides is a culprit for a lot of things. I do, however, think viral/fungal diseases are a natural event. like oak wilt. I don't see that as a human-made problem, I see it as a natural occurring event.

I've got a desert willow that put out a witches broom last year. it's several years old & it's never seen herbicides since living here & I live rather separated from other people's interaction. I would highly doubt that it is herbicide related.

again, i'm willing to consider most anything

 

[canesisters]

witches broom????

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

here's the best close up site i could find that shows a nice example of the witch's broom on some plants other than roses. http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2005/2-23-2005/witchesbroom.html

Steve, this may help give a good idea of what has been happening with the roses. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden....d-problems/diseases/viruses/rose-rosette.aspx

i guess this means i probably should try to eradicate the multifloria roses that have been allowed to grow freely in the yard for too many years. i just love their smell in June when they bloom all at once.

 

[so lucky]

Just because you get it on one rose doesn't necessarily mean all your roses will get it. I have an old English rose that seems to have it, but I haven't thrown it away yet. It is not available anymore, and I just can't bring myself to get rid of it. Still puts out plenty of normal growth, too. My other roses have been planted for about 6 years, and no one else seems to be affected. And I have found that not every witches' broom branch will be super thorny. I have had them with no thorns at all. Once you see it, you won't forget what it looks like. But don't mistake regular red tinted new growth for rosette virus. If it looks just like the plant usually produces limbs, only with a red tint, it probably isn't rosette virus.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

from the looks of it i think you can do some trimming out of those affected branches. but from most of what i'm reading this could potentially affect you other roses because they mite that carries the virus from one infected plant could be blown over to the non affected plants. you'll also have to constantly dust or spray to keep those bugs at bay.