Grades

Grafted roses are sold based upon American Nursery Standards grades 1,
1 1/2, and 2. Plants that are sold as own-root are not graded, so there is no real clear-cut standard. Size can vary from source to source.

Grade 1 plants have three or more canes that are about 3/4 of an inch in diameter and have no more than 3-4 inches between the graft union and the top of the roots. They also have a large, well-developed root system. Grade 1 plants must be 2 years old when harvested from the field. These are generally premium-priced rose plants. Grade 1 1/2 roses have two strong canes and with care will catch up to Grade 1 roses. Grade 2 roses are the "bargain" or "cheap" roses. They are often plants with very small canes, often substandard, and are usually not worth the extra effort required to nurse them along. It is usually better to buy several Grade 1 roses each year than a dozen inferior plants that may never result in good garden specimens.

Grades | Ways to Buy Roses | Budded & Own-root Roses

History | Selecting Rose Plants | Site Selection & Bed Preparation | Planting | Water, Mulch & Fertilizer | Winter Protection | Pruning | Disease & Insect Pests | Different Kinds of Roses | Selected References | Societies & Organizations | Mail Order Sources | Video

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