Native Plants

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Thursday - August 30, 2012

From: Akron, OH
Region: Midwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Transplants, Watering, Shrubs
Title: Transplanting a non-native rose from Akron OH
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Can I transplant a rose plant that I have in sunny area to an area that will be partially shady?

ANSWER:

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, home of Mr. Smarty Plants, is dedicated to the growth, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which those plants grow natively. While there are a few members of the Rosa genus native to North America, they are seldom available in commercial nurseries. What you have probably is one introduced from China, although those roses from China have been in cultivation all over the world for many years.

However, to answer your question in general terms, that is, transplanting a woody plant: Here is an article from the Rose Gardening Center Tips on Transplanting Roses. You will note that in that article it is first noted that roses need full sun, and that they should be transplanted as they are coming out of dormancy, in the Spring.