Question
Rose Disease?
I have a pink Knockout Rose Bush in my garden that looks very strange this year. It actually started at the end of the growing season last year. I am not a gardening expert and don't know the terminology well...so forgive my description here. The shoots seem smaller, closer to the ground and the leaves are very long and thin and almost spiderlike in nature. The bush is budding and even blooming, but the blooms are very "weak" in the fact that there are very few petals and they open wide exposing the center right away. I don't remember them doing this 2 years ago and we were convinced it was a parasite plant taking over the rosebush but then it bloomed. Is it a disease? Or is this a specific type of rose bush? Here is a picture...
AnswerThere could be two reasons why your normal rose is suddenly acting strange and deformed looking. One is that someone may have used a herbicide on their lawn or garden, and the fine spray has drifted over onto your rose. However the spray should have effected another plants nearby and it too should be putting out thin, spidery like growth. If that is not the case then it could be more serious. There is a rose disease called Rose Rosette and it usually starts the way your photo looks. I hope I am wrong as it is a nasty disease and you will have to destroy the rose because the mites that cause the problem could still be around and infect any other roses you have in the garden. Here are some more pictures of the disease. Please get back to me if you think this is that the problem is and I will help you. You may have to wait a little longer to see if the leaves turn a reddish colour as that will be a definite symptom that the rose does have Rose Rosette disease.
http://www.woodlandrosegarden.com/rose/rose2/rose_rosette/rose_rosette.htm
