By Gaye Hammond All Photos By Steve Jones Or ARS Archive Unless Otherwise Noted

An American Rose Society Presentation - ©2006

EarthKind Roses To qualify as EarthKind, the rose must exhibit: Outstanding Disease Resistance Be Highly Heat Tolerant Grows Well In Geographically Diverse Weather & Soil Conditions Produce Spectacular Blooms Without Human Intervention

If You Enjoy Exhibiting Your Roses Photo by Kitty Belendez

Rose History Roses Have Existed Over 34 Million Years They Appear In All Major Civilizations – Egypt, Rome, Greece, China, India And Europe

The US National Floral Emblem Staggering 30 Million Bushes Sold Each Year 80% Of The Roses Sold Are Modern (Created After 1867) Huge Percentage Die Within 3 Years Due To: - Adversities Encountered In Cultivation Or Lack Of Vigor Of The Cultivar - Stress Encountered During Harvesting, Packaging & Shipping - Lack Of Proper Care Prior To Sale - Improper Planting/Maintenance After Sale

Public Demands Photo by John Mattia

Birth Of The EarthKind Concept A Rigid Time-consuming Program Of Applying Pesticides And Fungicides, Pruning And Fertilizing On A Regular Basis Generally, The Result Is Disappointing Gardeners Who Experienced Disappointing Results Have Simply Given Up What's The Easiest Rose To Grow?

Birth Of The EarthKind Concept Responses Based On The Rosarian's Personal Experience And Preferences Answer Based On Rigorous Scientifically Sound, Peer Reviewed Research And Provide The Public With Roses That ANYONE ANYWHERE Can Grow Earthkind Roses Are Roses For Working People

Why Select/Recommend EarthKind Roses? The BEST Flowering Varieties Requiring The LEAST Amount Of Care That GROW In Geographically Diverse Regions And Climate Zones And REDUCE The Need For Pesticides/Fungicides By 95% If You Can Grow Weeds, You Can Grow Earthkind Roses

EarthKind Research Decisions Based On A Deep Abiding Respect For The Environment & Sound Science Employ Earthkind Techniques Of Plant Selection And Culture To Avoid Pest Problems Before They Occur Use Pesticides Only As A Last Resort

EarthKind Research Started With 117 Cultivars – Mix Of Antique & Modern Roses - Over 500 Total Bushes Planted In The Worst Possible Conditions Dallas Had To Offer Nothing Was Done In The Planting Process Other Than To Dig A Hole, Drop A Bush In It And Fill In The Hole With Soil From The Planting Site The Test Beds Were Drip Irrigated During The First Year Only

EarthKind Research Four Inches Of Hardwood Chips Were Added To The Top Of The Soil At The Planting Site To Insulate The Root Zones And Retard Water Loss The Bushes Were Never Fertilized The Bushes Were Never Sprayed For Fungus Or Pests The Bushes Were Never Pruned Or Deadheaded Texas A&M Was Just About As Mean To Those Bushes As You Could Possibly Be

Research Results By The End Of The Second Year All Of The Modern Roses Were Dead By The End Of The Third Year All But 11 Cultivars Had Died The 11 Cultivars That Survived Seemed To Thrive With Ill Treatment All 11 Varieties Are Grown On Their Own Roots And Are Heat And Drought Tolerant

Research Results At The End Of The Research Period, All 11 Varieties Were Field-tested In Different Areas In Texas All 11 Cultivars Gave Exceptional Performance Most Were Either Tolerant Or Highly Tolerant To Blackspot None Of The Cultivars Experienced Significant Pest Problems All 11 Cultivars Did Equally Well In Almost Any Soil Type

Planting & Care These Roses Will Be Even More Spectacular If They Are Planted In Beds With Good Bed Preparation First - Get A Soil Test If You Have Sandy Soil - Add Organics If You Have Gumbo Clay Soil - Add Expanded Shale If You Choose To Fertilize, An Application In March, June And A Light Feeding In August Is Recommended

Planting & Care All Roses Need To Be Planted Where They Receive At Least 6 Hours Of Direct Sunlight Each Day In A Location With Good Air Circulation Do Not Under Any Circumstance Water At Night! (If You Live In An Area susceptable to blackspot) Utilize A Thick Layer Of Hardwood Mulch To Insulate The Root Zone And Guard Against Moisture Loss Earthkind Roses Do Not Need Regular Pruning

EarthKind Cultivars Chinas Polyanthas Teas Shrubs

Sea Foam (1964) Photo by Star Roses

Marie Daly (1999)

The Fairy (1932)

Caldwell Pink (Pink Pet)

Knock Out (2002) Photo by Star Roses

Perle d’Or (1884)

Belinda’s Dream (1992)

Else Poulson (1924)

Carefree Beauty (1977)

Mutabilis (1894) Photo by Rich Baer

Climbing Pinkie (1952)

US Hardiness Zones All 11 Earthkind Cultivars Have Been Scientifically Proven To Give Outstanding Landscape Performance In The South Many Have Excellent Cold Tolerant Properties Research Is Presently Underway To Identify 30 Cultivars Deserving Of The Earthkind Designation That Can Grow In Zones 3-6

EarthKind & Your Local Society The Earthkind Program Has Received Overwhelming Response From Rosarians And Gardeners Local Societies Utilizing The Earthkind Program As An Educational Tool Have Seen Increases In Their Memberships Earthkind Rose Symposiums Have A Maximum Capacity Crowd Our Experience Has Been That The "General" Public Is Starved For Information On Roses That Grow With No Care Local Societies Are Encouraged To Add Earthkind Programs To Their Meetings As A Means To Increase Attendance - And Hopefully Increase Their Memberships

EarthKind Rose Brigade The Home Gardener, Local Rose Societies, Garden Clubs And Master Gardener Organizations Can Participate In This Research Project As Part Of The Brigade, Texas A&M Has Identified Specific Cultivars To Be Tested In All US Cold Hardiness Zones We Are Working To Collect Data From Individuals Who Have Grown Or Are Growing Roses On The Brigade List Brigade Participants Are Encouraged To Submit Some Very Basic Information About The Select Cultivars On An Annual Basis For 3 Years. Organizations Are Encouraged To Participate In The Research Program By Sponsoring A Test-planting Of Cultivars In Their Area

Thanks Thanks to the generosity of the Houston Rose Society, Texas A&M University has been able to expand the EarthKind research to a national level

Additional Information Gaye Hammond, 281/ (evenings) Michelle Shook, Texas A&M University, Michelle will field all inquiries, send out all information packages, and accept the research data Texas A&M has an EarthKind website at

The End