| AARS |
All-America Rose Selections, an association of commercial rose growers and sellers that Sponsors a nationwide program of rose trials each year. |
| ARS |
American Rose Society. An association of more than 20,000 rose enthusiasts; dues include a subscription to The American Rose magazine. Contact P.O. Box 30,000, Shreveport, LA 71130. |
| Bareroot |
Any plant presented in a dormant state without soil on its roots. The traditional means of selling a rose plant. |
| Basal Break |
A cane that grows out of the 'graft union.' These are very desirable as they yield the biggest flowers, present lots of new bud eyes for later growth, and will replace older, worn out canes. |
| Bud |
The swollen portion at the end of a stem that will mature into a flower. |
| Bud Eye |
The swollen area found near the union of the leaf with the stem that will grow into a new stem. |
| Bud Union |
On 'grafted' roses, this is the swollen area at the top of the shank from which new canes (basal breaks) emerge. In climates with extreme heat or cold, it is best to protect the bud union by planting it below the soil level and mulching over the top. |
| Calyx |
The leaf-like, outer protective part of a flower. Individually, these structures are called sepals. |
| Cane |
The supportive branches of a rose bush. Canes are distinguished from stems in that they have hardened and are thicker. |
| Cuttings |
A form of assexual plant reproduction. A stem is cut about 6 inches long, all but the top 2 leaflets are removed, and the 'cutting' is then planted. If successful, new roots form and the 'cutting' grows into a copy of the parent rose bush. |
| Cultivar (aka: variety) |
A cultivated variety selected for propagation based on specific characteristics; such as form, fragrance, color or disease resistance. Wild or species roses are not cultivars. |
| Deadhead |
A means of encouraging a faster repeat of bloom by removal of the spent blooms just above a 5-leaflet set. |
| Double |
Flowers having 25 or more petals. |
| Graft Union |
See 'Bud Union.' |
| Grafted |
A grafted rose is one where the 'bud eye' of a desired variety is attached, or 'grafted', onto another variety that is used to supply the roots. Many roses sold are grafted because grafting allows the grower to produce many more plants more rapidly than by 'cuttings.' |
| Hips |
The pod of seeds that may develop if a spent bloom is not removed. Not all roses will readily cross- or self-pollinate. Hips can be a valuable source of food for overwintering birds. Allowing them to develop will reduce subsequent bloom. |
| Hybridize |
To create a new rose cultivar by selectively fertilizing one rose with the pollen of another one in the hopes that the progeny will carry some of the traits of each. |
| Leaflet |
One section of a compound leaf. The leaf begins where the leafstalk attaches to the rose cane. Leaves can have from 3 leaflets to more than 15, but usually have only 5 to 7. |
| Modern Rose |
Any rose belonging to a class that came into being after 1867. |
| Old Garden Rose |
Any rose variety or cultivar belonging to a rose class that existed in 1867. |
| Once-blooming |
A rose that has one annual bloom over an extended period in late spring or early summer. Most species and many old garden roses are once-blooming. Most modern roses are not. |
| Own-root |
A rose that is grown directly on its own roots rather than by budding onto a rootstock. In severe winter areas, own-root roses offer the advantage of being able to regenerate directly from their roots. |
| Patented Rose |
A rose for which unlicensed propagation is prohibited for a period of up to 20 years under Federal regulations. Plant patents, which will be granted only for new roses determined to be unique, are secured through the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office after considerable paperwork and expense. |
| Pegging |
The act of encouraging the long canes of a rose to bloom along their length by arching the canes outward or looping them inward toward the base of the bush. |
| Pistil |
The female organ of a flower, comprised of the stigma, style and ovary. |
| Pruners |
An essential tool for the rosarian. The best design is the bypass pruner, which has two blades that cut like scissors. The anvil pruner uses a flat plate to push the cane against a single blade, which often results in crushed canes. |
| Rambler |
A long-caned rose that can be trained to grow on a trellis or other support. |
| Remontant |
A rose that blooms continuously throughout a season. |
| Repeat Blooming |
Flowering more than once a year. |
| Rootstock |
A variety whose vigorous roots are used as the foundation for a 'grafted' rose. Many roses sold are grafted because grafting allows the grower to produce many more plants more rapidly than by 'cuttings.' |
| Sepals |
The tough protective 'petals' that protect the flower bud. |
| Semidouble |
Flowers with more than 11 petals but fewer than 25. |
| Single |
A flower with a single row of 5 petals. Some consider roses with up to 10 or 11 petals a single flowers. |
| Species |
A group of plants that shares many characteristics and can interbreed freely. |
| Sport |
A spontaneous mutation that generates new characteristics in a rose stem. Many climbing roses are sports of bush roses. Other common sports include changes in color and petal count. Some sports are stable and can lead to the introduction of a new rose. Others are fleeting and will quickly revert back to the parent. |
| Stamen |
The male portion of a flower's reproductive system, comprised of a filament that holds the anther (pollen pad). |
| Stigma |
The female portion of the flower that receives pollen grains for fertilization. |
| Sucker |
Stems that grow spontaneously from the roots of a 'grafted' rose, generally in an unwanted manner. Suckers on 'grafted' plants can be distinguished from the rest of the bush by differences in foliage and should be removed below the soil level to preserve the integrity of the plant. |
| Very Double |
Flowers having 75 or more petals. |
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