How to Identify Single Bloom Roses

Roses are certainly one of the most beloved flowers. They have been purposely cultivated for thousands of years, and the bloom itself is believed to be 35 million years old. Many people put hours of labor into their rose gardens, which is why it can be an exhilarating surprise to find a rose bush growing where you did not plant one. If you have located a plant containing a single bloom, you may wonder how to care for it or whether it can be transplanted elsewhere. The first step to caring for your rose properly is to identify it.

Things You'll Need

Gardening gloves

Computer with internet access

Instructions

- 1
  Look at the rose plant to identify the general type first. Hybrid tea roses usually have one large, classically-shaped bloom per stem and grow on vertical bushes that do not spread much, while miniature roses are similar but much smaller. Grandiflora, polyantha and floribunda roses are notable for blooming in clusters and are unlikely to describe your single bloom rose, unless some damage has occurred to the plant.
- 2
  Note whether the shape of any present buds is rounder or more pointed. Examine the leaves and record their size, color and how they feel to the touch; also note where the foliage and rose are on a bush, shrub, ground cover or climbing vine. Smell the rose to determine if it has a fragrance.
- 3
  Put on a pair of gardening gloves. Carefully look at the thorns on the stem. They are usually either large and regularly spaced or small and spread thickly over the entire stem.
- 4
  Visit the American Rose Society website at http://www.ars.org. Browsing information on roses may help identify your single bloom rose. Direct contact, however, is probably more efficient.
- 5
  Click on the "Need Advice?" tab at the top of the rose society's home page to view contact information for rose experts in nearly every state. If your state is not listed, choose the closest one -- these people will be familiar with roses commonly grown in your area. Compose and send a polite email that includes all of the information you gathered on your unidentified rose and await a response.

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