The Anatomy of Roots, Stems and Leaves of Roses

Canes - Canes are the

main branches of the rose bush, emerging from the root mass in the case of an ‘own root’ bushand emerging from the bud union on a grafted rose.

Shank - The main stem of the rootstock rose. The ‘preferred’ roses has been grafted

onto the top of the shank.

Bud Union – the area between the roots and the stems where the bud of the desired variety was grafted onto the rootstock. Roots – There are two types of roots.

• The ‘anchor’ roots are thick and strong, they hold the rose bush upright while it is growing. They also store nutrients during the winter season.
• The ‘hair roots’ are the feeder roots. Their main job is to absorb the nutrients in the soil as they become available.

Basal Breaks - Basal breaks are new canes sprouting from the bud union (the graft) on a grafted rose. These new canes are the way the rose renews itself. Sometimes mistaken for the ‘sucker’ cane which does not emerge from the bud union.

Leaf - The leaves of roses are pinnately compound – that means they are made up of leaflets arranged alongthe side of a common axis with one leaflet on the end. The example is of a five-leaflet leaf. Roses also have 3-leaflet leaves and many have 7-leaflets or more.

Petiole - The tiny stem holding all the leaflets.

Petiolul - a subdivision of the petiole that connects a leaflet to the petiole.

Leaf Margin - The edge of the leaflet, usually “toothed” like a saw blade. Some roses have very smooth leaf margins, others are very deeply ‘dentate’ or toothed.

Stipule - The tissue at the point of attachment of petiole to stem. Often long and exaggerated.

Auricle - the ‘ear-like’ projection from the tip of the stipule.

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