Rose gardeners can be a bit fanatical. You know it. Many people struggle to cultivate roses, yet the finest growers know their plants.
They feed them, water them, trim and deadhead like celebrities, and converse to them when the neighbors are away.
Rose gardeners love adding new varieties to their collection since their roses bloom in almost every hue.
Because my mom is a rose gardener, we cheerfully strolled around the Eastern seaboard's largest rose collection, sweating profusely in the Florida spring sun.
Ancient Green Rose, Rosa chinensis ‘Viridiflora’. The sign saying it has green “petals” is wrong. The Green Rose's lack of petals is interesting.
The flowers produce only many sepals, which protect the buds and support the petals upon opening.
Without petals and other flower parts, the Green Rose has no rose scent. Instead, a deep sniff revealed a spicy aroma.
It can grow in zones 5–10, however zones 5 and 6 need extra mulch for winter protection. It also thrives in pots.
Natural mutation: Green Rose. It lacks functioning blooms and hips to develop seed, like many mutants. The sterility of Green Roses means they all grow from cuttings.
Rose historians agree this rose originated in China, where some say it was grown especially for royalty in the Forbidden City.
Green Roses are available online from The Antique Rose Emporium and others. Ask your local nursery or garden center for a plant.