On Apr 29, 12:35*pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
On 4/29/11 11:12 AM, Higgs Boson wrote:

Here's a pic of a rosebush that bears abundantly, but most of the
blooms don't open fully. *What causes this?
I'm in Zone 8, So. Calif coastal.

TIA

IMG]http://i54.tinypic.com/1zeh00j.jpg[/IM

HB

The roses with brown petals are afflicted with a fungus, most likely
mildew since you are near the coast.

However, many roses never open fully. *Only singles and semi-doubles
open fully.

True doubles generally keep opening until they fade. *But they have so
many layers of petals that they do not show their centers until the
petals start falling.

That would seem counterproductive in terms of fertilization. If the
insects can't get at the germ material, how can they carry it
elsewhere?

HB

--
David E. Ross
Climate: *California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary