How to grow Chinese rose (monthly red rose) and how it differs from rose and climbing rose
Chinese rose is also called monthly red, monthly flower, etc. It is an evergreen or semi-evergreen low shrub of the Rosaceae family, can bloom in all four seasons, and its flower colors include red, pink, white, yellow, mixed colors, silver-edged, etc. Most varieties are fragrant. It is called the queen of flowers and is the fifth of China's top ten famous flowers, and is the city flower of 52 cities in China. So, what are the growing methods for Chinese rose? And how does it differ from rose and climbing rose?
1. What are the growing methods for Chinese rose?
1. Propagation: Chinese rose can be propagated by grafting, sowing, division, cuttings, and layering. Grafting commonly uses wild climbing rose as rootstock, and includes bud grafting and branch grafting; bud grafting has a higher survival rate and is generally carried out from August to September. Sowing is generally done in spring, and can be done by hole sowing or furrow sowing; usually seedlings germinate and emerge in early to mid-April. Division is mostly carried out in early spring or late autumn, and it can bloom in the same year. Cuttings are generally taken in early spring or late autumn when roses are dormant, cutting mature branches with 3 to 4 buds for rooting; they generally root in 30 days, with a survival rate of 70% to 80%. Layering is generally carried out in summer.
2. Soil: Chinese rose can be grown in the ground, in pots, or hydroponically. The soil for growing Chinese rose is preferably loose, fertile, rich in organic matter, slightly acidic, and well-drained loam. Alkaline soil is not suitable. It is suitable to repot, trim roots, and change soil before and after overwintering each year. Hydroponic Chinese rose has a high survival rate and is not limited by time; after the flowers fade, they can be cut and inserted, and when the temperature is high, the water should be changed once a week.
3. Temperature: Chinese rose likes a warm environment with sufficient sunlight and air circulation. For most varieties, the optimum temperature is 15-26°C during the day and 10-15°C at night. When the winter temperature is below 5°C and the summer temperature remains above 30°C, it enters dormancy and semi-dormancy. During the growing season, it needs at least 6 hours of light per day; otherwise it only grows leaves and does not bloom, and even if it blooms, the flowers are not brightly colored or fragrant. Attention should be paid to ventilation; only with good ventilation can it grow robustly and reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases.
4. Watering: Watering Chinese rose should follow the principle of “dry and wet alternately, do not water when not dry, and water thoroughly when watering.” In midsummer, water when the surface of the potting soil turns white. In winter dormancy, water less and keep it semi-moist. During the peak growing season, flowering period, and high-temperature summer period, water more, but there must be no standing water in the pot, otherwise roots are prone to rot.
5. Fertilizing: Chinese rose likes fertilizer, so it should be fertilized frequently. During the growing season, apply dilute fertilizer water once every ten days, but do not overdo it, to prevent fertilizer damage that harms the seedlings. Do not fertilize during winter dormancy.
6. Pruning: When Chinese rose first shows flower buds, keep one well-shaped bud and cut off all the rest. After each flowering period of the season, cut off the faded flowers and thin, crossing, and overlapping branches.
2. What are the differences among Chinese rose, rose, and climbing rose?
Difference 1: Different types. Although they are all plants of the Rosaceae family, they are not the same variety. Chinese rose is an evergreen upright shrub; the original species of rose is Rosa gallica, a deciduous shrub; the original species of climbing rose is wild climbing rose, a deciduous vine or shrub.
Difference 2: Different branches and leaves. The branches of Chinese rose are upright and slightly spreading, and the branches often have a small number of hooked prickles. The leaves are small, generally 3 to 5 leaflets, and the leaf surface is relatively flat, not sunken, and without wrinkles. The branches of rose are upright, with many prickles and bristles on the branches. The leaves are small, generally 5 to 9 leaflets, relatively thick in texture, with sunken veins, many wrinkles, and white frost-like soft hairs on the underside. The stems of climbing rose are slender, and the branches are trailing or climbing and heavily thorny. The leaves are small, generally 7 to 9 leaflets, with toothed leaf margins and soft hairs on both sides.
Difference 3: Different flowers. Chinese rose generally has a single terminal flower or several flowers in clusters, blooms 4 to 6 times each year, with large and richly colored flowers, mostly double, and a strong fragrance. Rose flowers are solitary or clustered, bloom once a year from May to August, with small flowers mostly purplish red, single or double, and the strongest fragrance. Climbing rose generally has 6 to 7 flowers in clusters, blooms once each summer, with flower size the same as rose, and flower colors including red, pink, yellow, white, etc., with an attractive floral scent.
Difference 4: Different flower meanings. Chinese rose is one of China's top ten famous flowers and is praised as the queen of flowers. Its flower meaning is pure love, passionate love or admirable passion, chastity, etc. People often use it as a token of love and a synonym for love. Rose is a world-famous flower, and its flower meaning is love, love and beauty, radiant appearance, bravery, and nobility. People regard it as the “flower of love” and “flower of friendship,” and call beautiful women with strong personalities “thorny roses.” Climbing rose has been a fine flower and famous plant since ancient times, and its flower meaning is beautiful love, longing in love, and virtue.
Difference 5: Different effects. Chinese rose has the effects of promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation, reducing swelling, and detoxifying. It is often used to treat irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, and other conditions. Soaking Chinese rose petals in water as tea can also promote blood circulation and beautify the skin. Rose has the effects of regulating qi and blood, detoxifying and beautifying, harmonizing blood and dissipating stasis, opening the orifices and resolving stasis, soothing the liver and invigorating the spleen, promoting bile secretion, aiding digestion, and regulating body mechanisms. It can treat chest and diaphragm fullness and oppression, breast distension and pain, irregular menstruation, diarrhea and dysentery, etc., and can also remove acne and pimples. The medicinal value of climbing rose includes clearing summer heat, harmonizing the stomach, promoting blood circulation and stopping bleeding, and detoxifying. It can treat stomach duct distension and oppression, vomiting blood, nosebleeds, mouth sores, carbuncles and boils, irregular menstruation, etc.