On Tue, 05 Aug 2003 18:04:26 GMT, "C. Palestrina"
wrote:

Is there a general rule of thumb for how long a rose bush -- say a tea
rose -- is expected to live?

As long as you water and feed it...

Seriously, it can really vary from hybrid to hybrid (sometimes from
plant to plant as well). Each plant has its own level of vigor.
However, to get to what you really want to know, it should normally be
decades, given proper care. The thing that usually kills roses is not
"old age" but inferior care (not intentioned of course, but inferior
in the sense of not giving a level of care sufficient to sustain
life).

I know this is a bit vague, but it's the quick and dirty answer.
Others will elaborate.

As an example, I have a HT in my front yard that the neighbors say has
been there at least 30 years.