Sucker or not?

wearmydress · April 2014

I have a lovely yellow hybrid tea (the exact name is long forgotten) and I have noticed that there seems to be a combination of five leaf stems and seven leaf stems growing.

None from the bottom, all new growth from midway up the bush. I cannot remember seeing it like that before, although that is not to say that it hasn't always been this way and I have simply been unobservant in the past.

Can these be suckers, is it normal to have the combination? I dont seem able to find out (although that may be my unobservant nature rearing its head again!).

Is anyone able to tell me? I'd be very grateful for answers.

Dave Morgan · April 2014

Rose sucker develop from below ground level normally, so it doesn't sound as that is the problem. Maybe someone else has an explanation, I've not noticed what you are describing before although someone here might.

Dovefromabove · April 2014

That's very odd Ramblers and older forms of roses do have more leaflets than hybrid teas, and are often destroyed in the mistaken belief that they must be 'a sucker' - but I really don't understand how a rose can change it's growth habit half-way up a stem.

Could you post some pictures on here showing the two leaf types and where they change, and any other pictures you think might help?

To post a pic on here you click on the green tree icon at the top of where you type your post, and follow the instructions.

It would be helpful if you could recall the name of the rose - are you sure it's an HT - it couldn't be one of David Austin's English Roses or similar could it?

Mark 499 · April 2014

I have the same thing on a David Austin,'' Graham Thomas'' some 5 leaf & some 7 leaf on the same stem

Dovefromabove · April 2014

That's what I was thinking it might be - David Austin describes Graham Thomas as having a 'Tea' fragrance - that may have confused Wearmydress

Sucker or not?

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