It is rather unyielding and has thorns like stanley knife blades so I wouldnt want the job of managing it as a shrub! mine is against a south wall and the one at Tellisick is also on a sunny wall.Chad wrote: ↑Thu Jul 16, 2026 7:02 am Rosa bracteata is stunning. Would it grow as a free standing shrub, or does it need the heat of a wall to ripen the wood in Cornwall?
I've done some hunting through the literature. Softwood in May/June under mist seems to be the most popular. Autumn hardwood has the caveat 'takes longer to root than most'. Rooting hormone is universally recommended.
Chad
Soft wood cuttings in early summer is what I have been trying but it quickly defoliates and unlike other roses doesnt then root, I am about to try more shading on the mist house as I have been having more than a few problems this year
Yes that works for hilderbrandiana as does simply potting the cuttings up as if they had roots and putting them back at the edge of mist zone and waiting; seem to get about 75% but calcarata is another matter not seen it even try and callus! I am wondering if I need to try very early in the year when it is starting to shoot, January/February? I will keep trying different methods and timings. Since your June visit I am trying the air layer globes on "Just wounded " sections rather than ring barking, I dont think the heat is helping!Incidentally, I asked John about callous and no roots as you have been getting on Lonicera calcarata, and checked that with the literature too. He explains it better. The literature says 'incising' the callus may help. John's comment was to 'carve the callous to look like small roots', which I think is the same thing more clearly explained. The theoretical background is that the irregular surface lets the endogenous growth factors concentrate [it 'disrupts the gradient'] and encourages true root formation. A second dip of rooting hormone does not help.