Landscape Evaluation of Roses At the LSU Agcenter

The LSU AgCenter has a long history of rose cultivar evaluations. Knock Out, Earth Kind, All-America Rose Selections and Griffith Buck roses have been evaluated in landscape settings at the Hammond Research Station in Hammond and at Burden Center in Baton Rouge. Recently completed evaluations include the Drift series roses. The initial 6 cultivars released—Red, Pink, Sweet, Coral, Apricot, and Peach—have been observed for visual quality and blackspot susceptibility in a randomized complete-block replicated planting at the Hammond Research Station. Data was collected 2009, 2010, and 2011. Plants are located in full sun in raised landscape beds. Fertilization is applied twice annually. Plants are mulched with pine straw for weed suppression. Occasional applications of glyphosate are applied to weeds in the area for post-emergent control. Plants are irrigation via a drip system to prevent stress. Light pruning is conducted mid February and early September annually. Plants are rated for visual quality three times annually (spring peak bloom, early summer, and fall peak bloom) using a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 = dead, 2 = below average, 3 = average, 4 = above average, and 5 = superior performance. Blackspot ratings on foliage are taken at the same times and a rating scale of 1 to 6 is used with 1 = 0% foliage with blackspot, 2 = 1% to 10% foliage with blackspot, 3 = 11% to 25% foliage with blackspot, 4 = 26% to 50% foliage with blackspot, 5 = 51% to 75% foliage with blackspot, and 6 = 76% to 100% foliage with blackspot. Most cultivars have shown only minor susceptibility to blackspot. Visual quality ratings have consistently indicated above average landscape performance for all Drift rose cultivars.