Newsletter Articles
How to Choose Bare-Root Roses in Southern California
Written by David S.
To choose a good bare-root rose, buy the highest grade you can (Grade No. 1 has the most and strongest canes), and look for firm, plump canes with smooth bark, several strong canes rather than one, a firm and solid bud union, and light-colored, flexible roots. Skip any rose that feels light and brittle or has shriveled, brown, or moldy canes and roots. Then pick a class, such as a hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora, climber, or shrub rose, that matches how you want to use it in the garden.
Quick answer: A healthy dormant bare-root rose has plump, green canes with smooth bark, feels firm and heavy in your hand, has three to five strong canes, a firm bud union, and light-colored, flexible roots. Buy Grade No. 1 for the best plant, choose a rose class (hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora, climber, shrub, or miniature) to suit your garden, and look for a disease-resistant variety. Bare-root roses are sold in the winter dormant season, roughly January in Southern California. Soak the roots for several hours before planting and keep them from drying out.
| What to check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Grade | Buy Grade No. 1 (the most and strongest canes); No. 1.5 and No. 2 are lower grades |
| Canes | Three to five firm, plump canes; heavy in the hand, not light or brittle |
| Bark | Smooth and green or brown, not shriveled, black, or cracked |
| Bud union | Firm and solid, not soft or dried |
| Roots | Light-colored, flexible, and moist, not brown, brittle, or moldy |
| Class | Pick a type (hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora, climber, shrub) to fit your use |
What a Healthy Dormant Bare-Root Rose Looks Like
A bare-root rose is sold leafless and dormant, so you judge it by its canes and roots, not its foliage. A healthy one looks and feels alive even without leaves. Here is what to look for:
- Plump, firm canes. The canes should be plump and green with smooth, unshriveled bark, and the whole plant should feel heavy in your hand. A dried-out rose feels light and the canes are brittle.[1]
- Several strong canes. Choose a rose with three to five strong, plump canes with smooth bark, and pass on plants with shriveled, brown, or damaged canes.[2]
- Plump buds and a solid bud union. The growth buds should be plump and brightly colored but not yet swollen, and the bud union (the knob where the top meets the roots) should be firm and solid.[2]
- Light, flexible roots. The roots should be light-colored, flexible, and symmetrically placed around the base, not brown, brittle, or dried out.[2] Oregon State University adds that a healthy plant feels firm and heavy, and advises checking the canes for canker (dark spots or lesions), breaks, and insect damage.[3]
These same signs answer a question shoppers often ask, what does a dormant rose bush look like: firm and plump, with smooth bark and pale flexible roots, and no leaves yet because it is still resting.
Understanding Bare-Root Rose Grades
Bare-root roses are sold by grade, and the grade is a quick shorthand for quality. They are graded No. 1, No. 1.5, and No. 2, where No. 1 is the best quality and No. 2 the poorest. The grade reflects the number and development of a rose’s canes and roots, so a No. 1 plant has more and stronger canes than a No. 1.5 or No. 2.[1] The grading comes from the American Standard for Nursery Stock, the nursery industry’s sizing standard. The practical rule is simple: buy Grade No. 1 when you can, and especially when you are ordering sight unseen and cannot inspect the plant yourself.[1]
Choosing a Rose Class for Your Garden
Roses are grouped into classes, and picking the right class matters as much as picking a healthy plant, because each class suits a different use. The American Rose Society defines the main ones:
- Hybrid tea produces large, shapely blooms with 30 to 50 petals on long stems, the classic cut rose.[4]
- Floribunda bears flowers in large clusters or trusses, with more than one bloom open at a time, for masses of color.[4]
- Grandiflora combines hybrid-tea flower form with the ability to bear clusters, making a tall accent.[4]
- Climbers have long, arching canes that can climb fences, walls, and trellises.[4]
- Shrub roses have a sprawling, informal habit and make easy landscape plants, and miniatures average just 15 to 30 inches tall for containers and edges.[4]
Whichever class you choose, look for a disease-resistant variety. The Texas A&M AgriLife Earth-Kind program, for example, designates roses that show superior pest tolerance along with outstanding landscape performance, a helpful shortcut to a tough, low-maintenance rose.[5]
When to Buy and What to Do Next
Bare-root roses are dormant plants harvested during their natural rest period, typically late fall through early winter.[3] That makes winter the season to shop, and in Southern California bare-root season runs through the mild winter months, roughly January.[2] Buying bare-root is also the economical way to add a rose, with the widest selection of the year.
Once you have chosen your rose, do not let the roots dry out. Soak the entire root system in a tub of water for several hours before planting, around 12 to 24 hours, to rehydrate roots that dried during shipping and storage.[2] If you cannot plant right away, keep the roots covered with a damp material such as peat moss or wood shavings, where they will hold for up to about two weeks in a cool spot near 40 degrees F.[1] Plant while the rose is still dormant, in late fall, late winter, or early spring, and set it so the bud union sits just above the soil line.[6] For the full planting steps, see our guide to how to plant dormant roses, and once it is growing, our rose care tips for Southern California. Shopping for bare-root fruit trees in the same season? See our guide to selecting dormant fruit trees.
Bare-root season is short and the best roses go fast. Stop by any Green Thumb Nursery in winter and our team can help you choose a healthy, well-suited rose for your garden.
Choosing Bare-Root Roses FAQ
What does a dormant rose bush look like?
A healthy dormant rose is leafless but firm and plump, with green, smooth-barked canes that feel heavy, a firm bud union, and light-colored, flexible roots. It has no foliage because it is resting, not dead; a dried-out, dead plant feels light and brittle with shriveled or blackened canes.[1]
What is the best grade of bare-root rose?
Grade No. 1 is the top grade, with the most and strongest canes and roots. No. 1.5 and No. 2 are lower grades with fewer or weaker canes. Buy Grade No. 1 when you can, especially if you are ordering online and cannot inspect the plant.[1]
How do you choose a healthy bare-root rose?
Look for three to five strong, plump canes with smooth bark, a firm and solid bud union, and light-colored, flexible roots. Avoid plants that feel light or brittle or have shriveled, brown, or damaged canes, and check the canes for canker spots or breaks.[2][3]
What are the main types of roses?
The main classes are hybrid tea (large single blooms on long stems), floribunda (clustered flowers), grandiflora (hybrid-tea blooms in clusters), climbers (long canes for fences and trellises), shrub or landscape roses (easy and informal), and miniatures (small, for containers). Pick the class that fits how you want to use the rose.[4]
When do you buy bare-root roses?
Bare-root roses are sold in the winter dormant season, roughly January in Southern California, when the selection is widest and prices are lowest. Buy and plant while the rose is still dormant.[2]
Sources
- [1] University of Illinois Extension, Selecting Rose Plants: extension.illinois.edu
- [2] UC Master Gardeners (UC ANR), Bare Root Roses: ucanr.edu
- [3] Oregon State University Extension, EM 9474 Planting Bare Root Roses: extension.oregonstate.edu
- [4] American Rose Society, Rose Classifications: rose.org
- [5] Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Earth-Kind Roses: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu
- [6] Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC 1172, Growing Roses: hgic.clemson.edu
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