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'The Mermaid' rose Reviews & Comments
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Does Mermaid sucker if grown on its own roots? I've struck a cutting but if it behaves like its parent R bracteata, I won't dare to plant it in the garden.
Mermaid was commonly used to cover tennis court fences here (zone 9 or 10), but alas so many tennis courts have been sold for infill housing.
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It regenerates readily from roots if disturbed, but I've never known it to sucker spontaneously.
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Nope.
I think the best way to grow it is to force it to develop one main stem, and take all the thorns off of that stem until it gets about head height, and only then let it branch out. Then you can get a tree form of it with nothing at ground level oher than the trunk. Worked for me.
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Thanks to both of you.
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Initial post
18 JAN 12 by
 goncmg
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Tried this 6a and did not survive in any manner even close to what it did in 9a, Chico, California. in Chico it grew 30 feet up an old walnut tree, covered itself in huge 6 inch blooms, foliage was glossy and bright..............more than once over a 6 year period people knocked on our door to ask what the rose was when in full bloom............a one of a kind, LIVED through winters in 6a but was so unlike what it was in a better fitting climate when it succomed to a 3b winter in 6a 88-89 we never replaced it...............if you live warm, if you have space, YOU MUST TRY THIS ONE. 90+ years old and has been talked about the whole time and for a reason...............but simply unable to perform as it needs to in a cold climate.............IF ANYONE HAS GROWN THIS 7a/b or 8a/b I would like to hear your comments............
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I am going to try rosa bracteata, its parent, in 7a. I am reasonably certain that it will grow well here. I want to cross is with rugosa and cold hardy things to create a genuinely evil monster of a rose [in a good way]. Crossing bracteata with Golden Wings I hope will create a Mermaid that can devour houses in cold climates.
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As for zone 6b this rose barely survived previous winters with snowcover, but didn't survive last.
I think it would be better to say zone 7b. (or even 8)
I heard from more people that had experience with Mermaid in the past. All the roses died during winters.
Most of the time: At first cane die-back and then the lethal blow next winter.
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Hi Jay-Jay......
Thank you for sharing your experience. I've marked it as zone "7b" which is the warmer side of zone 7.
Smiles,
Lyn
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Alas all four Mermaids died last winter, no matter on own root or budded.
Temps as low as - 20° C, a lot of sun and no snow to cover the plants like previous winters.
I liked this rose in particular and hoped, it would grow up to the size of this-one:
http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=21.94761
And the one Kim pictured at The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA January 22. 2011 Covering a large, iron pergola. (no URL, for HMF doesn't accept more than one in comments)
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My Mermaid is threatening to take over all its neighbours. Maybe the secret is a stone wall to keep it warm - that is if you get the plant taking off. I will have to search out a photo and post.
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Reply
#2 of 2 posted
24 MAY 12 by
Jay-Jay
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Thank You for Your suggestion, but that's not possible, alas!
I'll look forward to Your pictures.
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