BOTANY OF ROSES AND RELATED ARTICLES
The Anatomy of Roots, Stems and Leaves of Roses
Canes - Canes are the main branches of the rose bush, emerging from the root mass in the case of an 'own root' bush and emerging from the bud union on a grafted rose.
Shank - The main stem of the rootstock rose. The 'preferred' roses has been grafted onto the top of the shank.
Bud Union - the area between the roots and the stems where the bud of the desired variety was grafted onto the rootstock.
Roots - There are two types of roots.
Roots - There are two types of roots.
- The 'anchor' roots are thick and strong, they hold the rose bush upright while it is growing. They also store nutrients during the winter season. \
- The 'hair roots' are the feeder roots. Their main job is to absorb the nutrients in the soil as they become available.
Basal Breaks - Basal breaks are new canes sprouting from the bud union (the graft) on a grafted rose. These new canes are the way the rose renews itself.
Sometimes mistaken for the 'sucker' cane which does not emerge from the bud union.
Leaf - The leaves of roses are pinnately compound - that means they are made up of leaflets arranged along the side of a common axis with one leaflet on the end. The example is of a five-leaflet leaf. Roses also have 3-leaflet leaves and many have 7-leaflets or more.
Petiole - The tiny stem holding all the leaflets.
Petiolul - a subdivision of the petiole that connects a leaflet to the petiole.
Leaf Margin - The edge of the leaflet, usually "toothed" like a saw blade. Some roses have very smooth leaf margins, others are very deeply 'dentate' or toothed.
Stipule - The tissue at the point of attachment of petiole to stem. Often long and exaggerated.
Auricle - the 'ear-like' projection from the tip of the stipule.
