Propagating Roses

Suggested Pod and Pollen Parents for Beginning Hybridizers
(with thanks to correspondents who commented on the list and special thanks to James A. Sproul of Roses By Design (rosesbydesign@earthlink.net) for help with the list of minis)

By David Neumeyer

Note: This list includes mainly hybrid teas and floribundas (in Part I) and minis (in Part II). It does not include species, old garden roses, or large shrub roses (with the exception of a few large-flowered climbers). Rugosa roses are traditionally the easiest species and species hybrids for the beginner, as they receive pollen of most roses readily and produce large numbers of seeds that germinate easily. Recent rugosa varieties that set hips easily include

Charles Albanel
Dart's Dash
Henry Hudson
Mont Blanc
Monte Cassino
Pierette Pavement
Purple Pavement (Rotes Meer)
Snow Pavement

Part I: Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, and Large-Flowered Climbers
Note: The annotation ( - ) means that I received at least one negative comment from correspondents about this rose as a pod parent. Also, although there are differences of opinion about this point, some breeders say that hybrid teas and floribundas will form hips better when on their own roots, not bud-grafted.

 

Armada
Bonica
Brandy
Carefree Beauty
Charlotte Armstrong
Chaucer
Colour Wonder
Crystalline
Dornroschen
First Prize ( - )
Fragrant Cloud ( - )
Honor
Impatient
Lilian Austin
Little Darling
Liverpool
cho
Livin' Easy
Lynn Anderson
New Dawn
New Year
Paradise
Pink Parfait
Prairie Princess
Pristine ( - )
Prominent
Queen Elizabeth
Secret Love
Sexy Rexy
Sheer Bliss
Sheer Elegance ( - )
Silver Jubilee
Stainless Steel
Sunflare
Sunsprite ( - )
Tournament of Roses
Tropicana
Vera Dalton
Westerland
White Cockade
White Dawn
White Masterpiece
Yesterday
Zorina

 

Amber Queen
Arthur Bell
Carefree Beauty
Amber Queen
Arthur
Bell
Carefree Beauty
Chaucer
Circus
First Prize
Fragrant Cloud
Karl Herbst
Livin' Easy
Marina
New Year
Paradise
Pascali
Peace
Prairie Princess
Prima Ballerina
Prominent
Queen Elizabeth
Redgold
Sheer Elegance
Sunflare
Touch of Class
Yesterday
Zorina

Part II: Minis

Note: A traditional method of breeding minis has been to use a mini as pollen parent on larger roses (usually hybrid teas and floribundas).

Pod parents:

Anytime
Avandel
Chipmunk
Fairhope
Jean Kenneally
June Laver
Little Darling
Loving Touch
Party Girl
Pink Petticoat
Rise 'n' Shine
Sequoia Gold
Sheri Anne
Sunny Dew

 

Pollen parents:

Anytime
Jean Kenneally
Magic
Carrousel
Over the Rainbow
Party Girl
Rainbow's End
Rise 'n' Shine
Sheri
Anne