Mini roses

One of the most popular types of roses are the mini roses which would be familiar to most gardeners worldwide. Their popularity often comes down to their versatility in that they can be grown in small gardens, pots, window planters and even some varieties in hanging baskets. Mini roses are also great grown as standard roses as it brings their blooms higher up and allows for underplanting with annuals and low growing perennials.

What is a mini rose?

The best definition I have heard is a rose having small blooms with foliage, stems, even thorns in proportion. Petiteness is a word often associated with mini roses. One of the characteristics largely lacking in mini roses is fragrance – few have a noticeable fragrance.

However, the mini rose has changed a lot over the years with a trend towards everything getting bigger but still in proportion. Today, we have patio roses which have everything larger again and in the US, there is a class called Miniflora which is halfway between a mini rose and a floribunda but thankfully we don’t use this term in New Zealand. There are also mini climbing roses which have small flowers on a reasonably strong growing plant. The world’s smallest mini rose is a variety called ‘Si’ (pronounced See) which can be brought in New Zealand, the blooms are the size of a grain of rice and the plant only gets about 10cm tall. A real novelty.

Where did mini roses originate from?

The modern mini roses are descended from Rosa rouletti which was discovered growing in Switzerland in 1917. How it got there is anybody’s guess.

The Father of the modern mini rose is the late Ralph Moore from Visalia, California. Ralph began breeding mini roses in the 1930’s and over the next seven decades, bred many fine miniature roses which made their way around the world including to New Zealand. Ralph was still breeding mini roses right up until his death in 2009 at 102. There are many other breeders who have created many fine miniature roses.

How should you grow mini roses?

Exactly the same way as larger roses with one key difference. Just remember that they are smaller and thus have a smaller root system so can dry out quicker. Also being lower to the ground can make them prone to things like spider mite, particularly if they are growing in a pot or alongside concrete.

Most mini roses sold in New Zealand are propagated by cuttings while some are also budded onto understock. The key difference is that budded plants do get bigger but are also more expensive. I personally prefer budded plants as they make a great display and can’t get lost under other garden plants, not to mention the weeds!

Some popular mini varieties:

• Jean Kenneally: Apricot blooms. The highest ever ranked mini in the US.

• Kaikoura: Orange red blooms, a popular variety seen often at rose shows.

• Loving Touch: Delicate apricot blooms of good form, a popular variety

• Minnie Pearl: Delicate pale pink of excellent form.

• Rise N Shine: One of the best yellow varieties, easy to grow.

• Wanaka: Brilliant orange-red, low and compact, free flowering.

By Hayden Foulds

Hayden also serves as Deputy Chairman of the World Federation of Rose Societies Rose Trials Committee amongst other rose endeavours. 

Read more from Hayden here.