So intriguing I could almost eat it... until I see the black spots
Written: May 24 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Showy and fragrant
Cons: Black spot is a serious problem
The Bottom Line: Read the review
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| laura10801's Full Review: Rose Bush - Rosa 'Intrigue' PP#5,002 |
I wish I could say I love Rose Intrigue. I want to love this rose. It has many lovable qualities, but I just can't get past some of its problems.
Rose 'Intrigue' falls into the category of floribunda roses, which means that it produces several blooms on each stem, instead of just one bloom, like hybrid tea roses. It is supposed to be a vigorous, disease and pest resistant, easy to grow rose.
Here's why I want to love Rose 'Intrigue': The flowers on this plant are so amazingly fragrant that you can smell it from a good distance away. Each flower is a dark purplish red. Or maybe they're a dark reddish purple. Whatever, they have elements of both colors lurking about. The fragrance is a yummy, citrus-like aroma that makes me want to eat the plant. It is rich and thick and memorable and intoxicating. Every time I smell this rose, my mouth waters from its fragrance.
Here’s why I just cannot love it: Although the flowers are very pretty and the fragrance is strong and wonderful, this rose a black spot nightmare. Black spot is a fungal infection that literally leaves black spots on the leaves and eventually kills the leaf. Once a leaf is damaged by the disease, it may survive and be useful to the rose, but you cannot reverse the damage, so it will have unsightly spots. Certain roses are very susceptible to it, but Intrigue is advertized as being resistant. NOT SO! If you get this rose, prepare to engage in a regular spraying program.
I deliberately choose roses that are mildew, rust, and black spot resistant. I do not like spray programs to prevent diseases, I prefer to use organic techniques as much as possible, and spray programs require a lot more effort than I am willing to put towards a plant. I have sprayed Intrigue a few times and while it may slow down the disease, it does not stop it. I would say this rose is very susceptible to black spot, despite what its own marketing says about it. I have a total of 7 varieties of roses this is the only one that has a serious black spot problem, so I know it is not a fault of the care I am giving to it.
Here is a description of Rose Intrigue from Wayside Gardens:
Soil Types/Tolerance: Normal, loamy
Product Category: Roses
Rose Categories: Floribundas
Bloom Color: Dark Purple , Dark Red
Foliage Color: Dark Green
Bloom Size: 3 in
Plant Width: 3 ft - 4 ft
Plant Height: 4 ft
Plant Habit: Upright
Uses: Ornamental , Outdoor , Cut Flowers , Border
Additional Features: Double Blooms , Flower , Grafted , Fragrance
Thus far, I am pleased to say that my plant's width is 3 feet or less (I don't want it to take up any more room than it has to), and it is about 3 feet tall. Wayside says it is grafted (which means that a rose has its roots removed and then it is attached to the roots of another, heartier rose), I did not get mine from Wayside and I do not think it is grafted. The advantage of grafting is that fragile roses, which would not do well on its own roots survive better on hearty root stock. This is a controversial subject among rosarians, many think natural rooting is the better way to go. I prefer ungrafted roses to grafted, but I am far from an expert on these matters.
If you have your heart set on a showy, fragrant rose I would suggest looking for another cultivar unless you are willing to engage in a regular program of using fungicidal sprays.
Recommended:
No
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laura10801
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Member: Laura
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Reviews written: 112
Trusted by: 136 members
About Me:
A patient asked if I ever have problems.
"Do physicians ever get sick?" I replied.
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