possible or impossible to change yellow to red roses?

[van48]

is there a way to change yellow roses to red roses. im growing some and its kind of a symbolism thing. any help would be appreciated

[grandpasrose]

Hello Van48. Welcome to the forum. The short answer to your question is no. There is no way to radically change the color of a growing rose.

For the most part, the color of roses is inherited at the time of breeding. However, there are a few factors that may influence the color of your roses.
One is temperature. Some roses will lighten in hot weather, and darken in cooler weather.
Another is time. The rose Double Delight, for example, has alot more crimson in its coloring in the mid summer, as it needs the sun to bring out the red. Then it gets much paler in the fall, when the sun is less.

Sometimes roses can be a little unstable in the first year of planting. Almost like they are learning to walk or something, and won't really show their true colors until they are more established.

The graft on the rose may have also died out, and the rose that is blooming is actually the plant from the root it was grafted on.
The use of Iron does sometimes influence the tones of the oranges and reds in roses.

These are the only way that I know of to change the color of roses.
Hope this helps!
Val

[The Helpful Gardener]

FLoral paint is all the new rage in the industry...

Can't get the color you want? Paint it on...

HG

[opabinia51]

Oh, that is wrong on so many levels.

[JPIXI]

Hi guys,

If the reason of changing the yellow rose to red is for symbolism reason, it is better to leave the rose alone and be surprised by nature, it is more rewarding.

From what I know changing from yellow to red is impossible, but to change white to milky ivory yellow might not be too difficult with more bone meal and alfalfa tea.

Let us wait for next spring, we might be in for a shock for their exceptional peformance and colours.

Cheers,
Pixi

[The Helpful Gardener]

Pixi, good to see you here. Is all well there? Hope things have quieted down; you had us worried (and still concerned...)

Scott

[JPIXI]

Hiya Scott,

don't worry, I am prefectly fine here, things here in Paris isnt as bad as shown abroad.

I am preparing lavender and cosmos to be planted next to my roses for next year these days.

Hope to read more post from you guys. Thank you so much for your concern!

Kisses,
Pixi

[grandpasrose]

There are slight variations in all varieties of roses - from rose to rose, they are not all exactly the same. But this never due to anything we have tried to do to the rose - it's just doing it's own thing. Only things like heat, cold, amount of sun can change the color, and then only subtly.

Pixi - it's been a long time since we heard from you on the forum. Have you gotten all of the rest of your thirty roses planted? I never did hear what the last batch you planted were.
Some other companion plants you might try with your roses are wallflowers, peruvian lily, Dianthus, and bellflower. Or if you prefer underplantings, as I do, there are primulas, candytuft, violas, creeping phlox, arabis, creeping thyme, and creeping baby's breath. Also planting small spring bulbs such as grape hyacinth and crocuses is pretty also. Good to hear from you!

Scott - I never did like to see a painted rose! - especially when they are some amazingly impossible colour like blue!!

Val

[kevinschoppe]

Too me it seems like it's up to the plants mind as to what color the plant wants to be.

For example my baby's blanket is both pink and white! The pink and white changes in different blooms. What I mean is that it will flower white then die off then flower again pink. It is kinda cool to watch.

P.S. We had our first taste of winter. The Temps got down to 32 for a few hours last night. Temps are going back up to 40o Low to 70o's High. Crazy south texas weather...

[The Helpful Gardener]

The paint thing is getting big here for poinsettias; they are adding things like glitter and even fragrance now! Picture blue poinsettias, with silver sparkles, that smells like cinnamon...

Not in MY house...

Scott

[grandpasrose]

Yeah, they've been spraying poinsettas with golds and silvers here for a while now, and they have done it for years on chrysanthemums, but I just can't stand it!!!!! Whenever I order flowers sent to anyone, I always say "no mums" because I am so afraid they'll put something like that in!

Val