Question
I thought spring dwarf since only the foliage right around the first buds show these blurry pale green-yellowy spots but I understand this virus comes from bad grafting and does not spread.  In my case, roses in my garden have been entirely healthy for years and all went through last spring for instance, without these marks.  Of some 25 bushes all but about 7 or 8 are showing these marks just around the new buds - none of the first foliage is marked and this phenomenon appeared since I last saw the roses - only one week ago.  Since rose viruses don't seem to be catching and  some 25 plants have never shown this problem, perhaps this is a fungus of some kind....?  I certainly am hoping that this is so - since we seem to be able to terat fugus infections.  In addition to the spots, there is some distortion - a wrinkled look in a few of the older leaves.  Can y ou give me your thinking on this.  In Lebanon where I reside there is not much help available.

Thank you!

Judith

Answer
Spring dwarf has a very definite look to it as the leaves are small, stunted and curled tightly. It is easy to distinguish from any other rose diseases. Because it is a virus it will spread all through the system and make the plant weak so it is a wisdom to burn the rose. As you have said, virus is not transmittable even when you use clippers on an effected one and then cut a clean plant. It is spread commercially when an infected mother plant is used for the bud eyes and then they are budded onto the roses which will be infected.
Your problem is not so serious as it is a type of mildew. This kind is the most severe.It is downy mildew which effects roses in the spring. However if left untreated, it dries out the leaves making them wrinkled and curled downwards pus causing poor growth. It literally can happen over night. You could try using 1 tablespoon of baking soda to 1 quart of water as a spray. Drench the leaves well and do it daily until you don't see any mildew at all. If that doesn't work because the mildew is severe, then any rose fungicide will solve the problem. You actually could use a fungicide for any other plants and just following the instructions on the label for small shrubs. It would be a wisdom to make a note of what the weather was like the last ten days as it is certain weather conditions that will cause this problem, such as cool nights and warm days which are the worst for starting it.