Field evaluation of phenology and success of hardy, micro-propagated old shrub roses in northern Finland

Five old shrub rose taxa were studied in field experiments in northern Finland during the years 1993–1999. The plant material was micro-propagated from woody plants selected for their ornamental value and hardiness for northern areas of Finland. The observations in the experiments were based on phenological monitoring and survey of plant success. The results revealed significant differences in the success of the different rose genotypes, and the most valuable genotypes were identified. Micropropagation was successfully used as a propagation method and these in vitro propagated roses grew naturally under harsh field conditions. The Rosa ‘Tornedal’ origins, R. ‘Poppius’ and R. ‘Sipi’ were ranked the most suitable cultivars for northern landscaping. Overall, all of the studied roses succeeded fairly well.