Mutabilis Rose Disease Resistance

The Mutabilis Rose

• Rose hunters brought China roses to private gardens in Europe around the end of the 18th century, and Henri Correvon introduced Mutabilis, also known as Tipo Ideal, to market in 1934. Mutabilis roses ares valued for their multicolored, repeat-blooming habit and delicate fragrance. They are suited to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 to 10. Shrubs grow from 3 to 6 feet tall; under ideal, year-long growing conditions, heat-loving Mutabilis roses attain heights of up to 15 feet. They remain compact, rounded shrubs in the cooler ranges.

Earth-Kind Roses

• Texas A&M Extension EarthKind program named Mutabilis rose “EarthKind Rose of the Year” in 2005. The program is an Environmental Stewardship Program-Horticulture designed to identify and promote superior landscape plants. Horticulturists withhold pruning, fertilizer and pesticides and subject roses to reduced irrigation during several years of field research. The Mutabilis rose thrived under such tough conditions, proving to be among the top-performing roses in the program. Extension horticulturist Dr. Steve George of Dallas heartily recommends the easily grown, disease-resistant Mutabilis rose for widespread planting in suitable climates.

Rose Diseases

• Rose diseases especially attack susceptible plants. The Mutabilis rose, with its high resistance to common diseases, more successfully withstands fungal diseases such as blackspot, powdery mildew and rust than other roses. Rose rosette disease is spread among wild roses throughout much of the United States; stricken plants must be removed, along with their roots, and destroyed. As of publication, no roses are know to be especially resistant to this serious mite-borne disease. (Ref 1; 3; 4; 6)

Ensuring Success

• Healthy roses of all kinds repel diseases and pests more effectively than weak or neglected plants. The Mutabilis rose has the advantage of being genetically disease-resistant. The Mutabilis rose is grows well in a variety of soil conditions; well-drained soil generously enriched with organic matter is ideal. Provide at least eight hours daily of sun exposure. Warm, humid conditions favor fungal diseases; roses, including disease-resistant varieties, thrive with drying air circulation around the entire plant. Pests and diseases seldom seriously bother the healthy Mutabilis “butterfly” rose.