How a Rose Grows to Maturity

Seeds

• As a rose bloom fades and the petals fall away, the fertilized flower forms a seed pod called a rose hip. When the rose hip changes from green to orange or red, the pod is mature and the seeds inside are ready for planting. However, according to horticulturists at the University of Maryland, roses are usually only grown from seed by breeders trying to cultivate a new type of rose.

Cuttings

• Rose bushes available for transplanting in the home garden are, most likely, grown from cuttings of an established plant. The cutting may have been placed in water until it formed roots, or dusted with rooting powder and placed in a cutting bed filled with a special medium to encourage root growth or grafted onto a rootstock. By the time they reach the nursery shelves, these cuttings have been growing in a field for about two years, and have been severely pruned to 12 to 18 inches before shipping.

New Growth

• As the canes come out of dormancy, the top bud eyes begin to produce new shoots with leaflets. The length of time to see new growth varies, depending on the plant variety and its health. Once the new growth emerges and the plant is cared for properly, the canes will continue to grow and form leaves, and blooms will appear at about 10 to 12 weeks. At the same time, the roots are growing and developing -- and when flowers appear, the roots are able to take up chemical fertilizers added to the soil.

Flowers

• The flowers develop differently, depending on the variety of the rose plant. Hybrid tea roses develop single flowers on a robust stem, and blooms continuously through the growing season. Floribundas are dwarf roses that blossom as clusters of tiny flowers throughout the summer. Climbing roses grow long canes that need the support of a trellis or a fence, and produce an abundance of large blooms. Old-fashioned roses produce plenty of fragrant flowers throughout the month of June.