Cornelius Nurseries Roses

Beautiful and fragrant, the rose is probably the most beloved flower in the U.S. It is also our national flower. Roses come in many varieties and grow in all 50 states. Below are explanations of the most popular types of roses we sell at Cornelius.

Patented Roses
Virtually all new roses are patented. This usually means an individual has crossed roses with distinct differences and developed a new rose variety. The individual names it and secures a plant patent. Until the patent expires each grower who produces and sells his patented plant pays him a royalty on each rose bush.

Standard Roses
Many of our finest roses are in this group. A lot of them are fine older varieties that were never patented and others are excellent varieties with their patent expired. Roses should not necessarily be selected by their being a standard or a patented variety - but rather by their quality as a healthy plant and how well they do in this area.

Hybrid Tea Roses
Probably the most popular roses of all. Most all do well in our area. They come in many colors and bi-colors including many very fragrant ones.

Floribunda Roses
Floribunda roses do not grow as tall as Hybrid Teas. Flowers are borne in clusters, sometimes covering the entire bush. They come in many colors and bloom all summer long. Fine for low hedges, pot growing or in landscape plantings.

Grandiflora Roses
Extremely hardy and vigorous growing. They will grow taller than the Hybrid Tea roses and produce large flowers borne in clusters of two, three and sometimes four on long strong stems. With good care, they will bloom all spring and summer.

Miniature Roses
Very hardy roses that perform well in Houston, especially as container plants. Extremely dwarf plants to 12-15" high with tiny, perfectly formed rosebuds in all colors. Treat as you would any container planting by using Cornelius Potting Mix or Cornelius Azalea Planting Mix.

Heirloom Roses
A recent marketing idea, Heirloom and Old Garden Roses are very old-fashioned varieties well-suited to adverse conditions. Many are climbers or running types, and colors and fragrances vary widely.

Planting Roses
Roses should be planted so soil is just under bud union. (Enlarged knot at base of stems.)
A rose bed should be built 8 to 10 inches above the surrounding grade or lawn area. An easy and convenient way to build a rose bed is to use one bag of steer manure to five bags of Cornelius Soil Mix tilled into existing soil. After planting, mulch with one to two inches of Cornelius Pine Bark Mulch over entire bed area. When roses are planted individually, plant in the same soil mix described above. Also, plant in graduated mounds as shown in the diagram below.

Insects and Disease
Roses should be sprayed every seven to 10 days during growing season with Malathion for insects such as aphids and spider mites. In severe cases of spider mites, spray alternately with Kelthane, General Spray, or Orthene at five day intervals using three applications. Spray roses every two weeks with Funginex for powdery mildew and black spot or Consan Triple Action 20 weekly.

Pruning
Prune roses heavy in February cutting back entire bush to a height of 10 to 12 inches above ground. Thin out until you leave only three to five main stems. Be sure to remove any dead or diseased canes. Make each cut as close as possible to the main stem leaving no short stubs. Climbing roses should be pruned only 1/3 of their height yearly. Roses bloom on about 30 day cycles.

Fertilizing and Watering
They should be fertilized after each blooming period using a prepared rose food. Be sure to follow the directions on all packages. A strong, healthy plant will produce its best blossoms during the cooler months of October and November, and in April and May.

The spent blooms should be removed regularly. The stems should be cut down to the place where the first five leaf cluster is formed. This will keep the rose bush full and compact all year long.

The rose bed should receive a thorough watering once each week. Avoid watering in the evenings or sprinkling the foliage.