In article , dave weil
writes:

I discussed this very issue with the main gardener at Edmunds Roses.
He claims that the bacteria is ever-present in many soils but that
most of the time, it isn't activated or doesn't get the chance to
infect the plant. So, he's not all that sure that sterilization or
even quarantine does a lot of good. So, there might not be a lot of
worry about spreading, since, if you get it in the first place, it's
probbly everywhere in your soil anyway. Just be careful about nicking
the other plants at crown level, since that's the main event of
opporunity that allows gall to start.

He also said that he keeps some 40 galled roses out of the 800 that he
grows as evidence that it doesn't have to be an immediate killer. He
says that some of them are quite impressive. He also realizes that it
will probably eventually weaken the plant, but some of them have been
around for over 10 years with gall.

Just thought I'd share this anecdotal info.

Dave,
Thanks for this information. Very interesting indeed. I would have thought a
nursery of this reputation would have discarded these roses quickly. This may
say alot about the spread or lack thereof of this disease. Maybe in ten years,
I'll still have Reve d'Or in the same palm tree. Somehow I don't think so, but
it does give me hope.
Julie