Rosa woodsii really shines during this season. Some have more hips and grey stems and some have more hips and red stems. Some have tons on hips but only some years. And some have hips that are shiny sparkling beads while others have hips that fade to dull or brown when the weather goes below freezing. Most hips are red in the fall, but some are orange. There are also a variety of plant forms, from only a foot or so tall, to more than 5 feet. Some plants form a thicket of single canes from underground stems (like bamboo) while others make mostly a single plant with multiple branches canes (like a lilac). I’m not sure how much is related to culture, but I bet size is, and perhaps how juicy the hips are and whether they freeze in cold weather or are dry and stay preserved. When I wanted some Rosa woodsii for my garden, I was lucky to be able to choose from among many varieties, since I planned to take cuttings from public plantings in my neighborhood. The one I took cuttings from is about 4 feet tall, growing on a west facing slope (hot and dry, but irrigated by the neighborhood landscape system). It has bright red young stems which turn grey as they get older, and a moderate amount of shiny sparkling red hips that last through the winter. I took those cuttings last spring, and I will see how they perform in a garden setting this coming year.
No comments:
Post a Comment