Any rose experts here? I'd like help/advice if you're willing...

[Coventina]

I have a rose tree (Chicago Peace, if that matters) of great sentimental value to me.

It was planted May, 2010.

This morning, seemingly overnight, a new little tree has emerged right next to it.
Very close, but not attached, at least above ground.

I'll admit I'm a complete dunce, and it's a wonder this thing has survived my brown thumb these four years.

How has this happened? Is it growing out of the larger one underneath the soil?

Is there a way of detaching it and replanting it somewhere else?
I don't want to kill it if I don't have to, as I said, it has great meaning to me and killing any part of it would make me sad.
However, I don't want to risk the health of the larger tree.

I'd love to be able to grow a second one, if possible. Or, can I leave it as is, safely?

Any advice greatly appreciated as I am a

Thanks!

[northoftheborder]

1. Not an expert, but what little I know, I'll share...maybe others who know more will post....

If the new part of plant is growing out of the root of plant, that probably is from the original rose that was grafted to with the Peace Rose. A lot of roses are grafted onto other root stock for various reasons.... I think it should be pruned off because it will not be a Peace Rose. If it is not grafted, I have been told that those root stalks should be pruned off anyway for the health of the bush. That's my meagre knowledge..hopefully more will comment with more.....

[Coventina]

2. Thanks!

I have emails out to my sister and MIL, who are both avid gardeners who have experience with roses.

If they confirm or say something different, I'll let you know!

Thanks again!!!!

[Cracklin Charlie]

3. Not an expert...

But I'd cut it off, now!

Unless you want a common old red shrub rose bush. That little sprout will choke off the life of your larger tree quicker than you would believe, and leave you with a common red shrub rose that can take years to get rid of.

I've got one that grew back from a tea rose that died from being flooded, and I am still trying to get rid of the thing twenty one years later.

[Coventina]

4. Wow! I never would have dreamed that.

It does seem to be growing at an almost unreal rate, though!

Just out of curiosity, what is the "common red shrub rose" like? And why do you want to get rid of it?
Is it ugly?

[Cracklin Charlie]

5. It's not ugly.

Around here, western Missouri, there are lots of them. They are very healthy, and vigorous. Their vigor is the reason they are used, like the poster said above, as the root stock for the other varieties of rose, like the lovely tea roses, floribunda, climbers, etc. They're just not as pretty as the fancy roses.

My rose that died was a beautiful tea rose about 5 feet tall, with lavender colored blossoms the size of a teacup. In the morning sun, from my kitchen window, it looked like the roses were silver. Gorgeous! And while I have many friends who have lost their roses to sprouts from the rootstock, in my case, the sprout from below ground level did not kill my rose.

The above ground part of the tree died in 1993, when we went through an entire summer, something like 80 days, of torrential rain every day. The flooding in the area was just terrible. By the end of the summer, my rose had drowned. In the spring, a shoot came up from way below the ground, and I let it grow. A few years later, it bloomed, and it was the common, red shrub rose, that had been used for the rootstock of my beautiful, lavender, hybrid tea rose. I have been trying to get those deep, stubborn roots out of there ever since. The problem was, it is in one of my best sight-lines from inside the house, so I want something really pretty there.

Last year, my husband and I may have finally gotten rid of it. I just went out and checked, and I don't see any above ground growth in the area. Fingers crossed, because I have my eye on a tiger eye sumac at my local garden center.

[Coventina]

6. So sorry for your loss!

I would be devastated if I lost my rose tree.

So, it looks like curtains for the youngster.

So sorry to keep bugging you, but what should I do?

I'm assuming that if I cut it off at ground level it will just grow back?

If I dig it out and cut it off at the root that attaches to my tree do I need to treat the open wound?

Theoretically, could I transplant that cutting?

[WhiteTara]

7. Don't dig it, just cut it off at ground level

Your rose doesn't have an open would as it is the graft. The rose underneath will be fine. Don't cut your bush back or all you'll have left is the root stock rose.

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. No trouble.

Not necessarily curtains, but the rootstock may keep sending up shoots. Don't dig the bush up. Maybe loosen the soil near the shoot. Reach down there as close to where it's coming from as possible, and just wrench the shoot off with your hand. Replace the soil up next to the bush, and tamp it down firmly. It may still try to grow back, or others may form. I don't think there would be any benefit to trying to treat the wound, so I would say no.

You could certainly try to transplant the cutting if you want; but as it seems to come from the rootstock, it would likely be a red shrub rose, and not the one that is blooming above ground.

[Major Nikon]

9. As others have said, it's probably a shoot off the root stock

What I would add is that the reason it probably did this is because the graft may be buried. With grafted roses, you want to make sure the graft stays above ground. The graft should be very obvious as it will be a big knot at the base of your main stalks. Dig around this to make sure it stays above ground. It's ok to have mulch covering it as long as it hasn't turned to compost, but you do not want dirt over the graft.

[Scuba]

10. I ran this question by my old Air Force buddy who is the 3rd Generation owner of ...

... Roses of Yesterday and Today in Brownsville, Ca. Here's his response ...

Sounds like it is the rootstock that the Chicago Peace was budded on to. The best way to deal with this problem and to keep it from recurring is to CAREFULLY clean the soil away until you find the point where it is growing from, then CAREFULLY cut the understock away leaving about one eighth of an inch.

CAREFULLY crush the tag comming from the mother plant. Water the plant and cover it with soil. It is not recommended to let the understock grow as it will take energy from the desired plant and threaten its survival. Also the under stock is a very vigorous and robust grower and not desirable.

Good Luck

Andy
Roses of Yesterday

http://rosesofyesterday.com/aboutus.html

[Coventina]

11. Oh wow!!! Thanks so much!!

I will follow his instructions to the letter!

[Scuba]

12. You are welcome!

[Coventina]

13. General reply to all the respondents:

Thank you all so, so much!

You all gave me great guidance, and I will follow it.

I'll perform the operation either today or tomorrow.

The main tree is currently undergoing a growth spurt, but only has tiny buds, no flowers.

If I can figure out how to do it, I'll post a picture, just so you can see the patient.