Question
My daughter received a cut long stemed rose from her boyfriend that has started showing new growth on the stem.  I would like to know if there is any way to root this rose.  It is in a vase and the bud is drying out.  If there is potential for life I would like to proceed.  This rose really wants to live!

Answer
These long stemmed Roses go through a lot before they reach the vase on the dining room table.  But with snow in Malibu and a blizzard in April in New Mexico, nothing surprises me anymore.

To get roots from a stem, you need to stimulate cells that generate new growth; a diagonal slice (with a razor blade) just under the bulge of the stem called a 'node' would open tissue that at least theoretically is able to generate roots.  There should be about 3 1/2 inches of growth above this.  And no buds or blooms, or tissue that looks like it would grow into a flower.

Under the best of circumstances, this is DIFFICULT.  Rose cuttings do not root like, say, Impatiens cuttings.  They are woody stemmed and the roots take time to emerge.  All the while, you are trying to sustain a root-less cutting.  It's hard.

But what do you have to lose?

Place in a shallow dish of vermiculite or sand, moistened.  By lieing the cutting flat, you ease a bit of the gravity resistance and make it easier for water to reach the upper leaves.

There is hormone rooting powder sold for this purpose, but it gets mixed reviews.

Keep the cutting out of direct sunlight (too drying, too hot) but it must be in as bright light as you can give it without causing it to wilt.

Good luck with this.  Let me know how it works out.  I'd love to hear good news.  We'll discuss planting your cutting if you get that far.