Roses are the best plant. They are cold hardy and can bloom even into late fall, depending on the weather. So even if you live in cold climates, they can thrive.
Every spring and summer, many people ask themselves, "When do roses bloom?"
Although the answer to this question may seem like a no-brainer to some, plenty of people are unsure about when rose growing season starts and peaks. This guide will clear everything up so that whether you're a gardening novice or an experienced hobbyist, you can plan your spring and summer accordingly! So, without further ado, let's dive in.
Different Types of Roses and When They Bloom
When do roses bloom? The answer may depend on what type of rose you're asking about. Generally, there are two types of roses: bush and climbing. Bush roses bloom in full sun year round anywhere from early spring to late summer, whereas climbing roses tend to bloom a little later, from mid-spring to early fall. However, there are always exceptions to the rule! Some varieties of these flowers may bloom earlier or later than others.
Climbing Roses
Climbing roses are a type of rose that is, as the name suggests, perfect for growing along fences, trellises or any other kind of support. These flowers can add height to any garden and fill up excess vertical space. Most climbing roses bloom several times throughout a season. They will typically bloom heavily in the spring and sporadically throughout the rest of the growing season, but it depends on the variety.
Joseph's Coat roses, for example, bloom from during spring or summer. They produce beautiful clusters of multi-colored flowers consisting of yellow, red, pink, orange and other colors mixed in. Meanwhile, the American Beauty variety are often deep pink and purple.
Joseph's Coat Climbing Roses
Bloom Cycle: Late Spring to Fall
Height: 8 - 10 feet
Spread: 24 - 36 inches
Sunlight: Full sun, Partial Shade
Soil: Well-Drained
Hardiness Zone: 4-10
These typical growing standards may vary depending on the variety of climbing roses.
Floribunda Roses
Floribunda roses are a type of bush rose that is characterized by its many flowers. These roses bloom in clusters, which makes them a popular choice for gardeners who want magnificent pops of color. Floribunda roses come in several varieties and colors allowing gardeners to choose from a plethora of colors ranging from gold to burgundy.
Floribunda roses will typically bloom in late spring or early summer depending on the weather. They will often continue to bloom all the way until fall. When the bloom, their flowers appear in clusters rather than one flower per stem providing vibrant splashes of color throughout the bush.
Julia Child Floribunda Rose
Bloom Cycle: Late Spring to Fall
Height: 24 - 36 inches
Spread: 24 - 36 inches
Sunlight: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Soil: Well Drained, Enriched Soil
Hardiness Zone: 4 - 10
These typical growing standards may vary depending on the variety of floribunda roses.
Grandiflora Roses
Grandiflora roses are also bush roses, and they are characterized by their large flowers. As the name suggests, grandiflora are old garden roses that are known for their show-stopping flowers which can grow up to 6 inches in diameter. The old garden roseses have blooms that are often described as being cup-shaped.
Grandiflora roses like many other varieties and species of roses also follow the rose bloom cycles. They produce beautiful, large blooms throughout the season with a moderate fragrance.
Mother of Pearl Grandiflora Roses
Bloom Cycle: Late Spring to Fall
Height: 36 - 48 inches
Spread: 36 - 48 inches
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Moist, Well-Drained
Hardness Zone: 5 - 9
These typical growing standards may vary depending on the variety of grandiflora roses.
Groundcover Roses
Groundcover roses are low-growing bush roses that is perfect for covering large areas of ground. These roses are often used as borders or edging in landscaping as landscape roses. Groundcover roses are easy to maintain as you don't have to worry about pruning them. You could consider them miniature roses because they don't reach nearly the same height as most other rose varieties. These roses will maintain themselves and shed off the expired blooms. These perennial flowers bloom continuously, providing excitement and joy throughout the season.
The blooming season for this type of rose typically falls from April to November. They can produce a variety of different stages of sized blooms providing variation for your enjoyment.
Peach Drift® Groundcover Roses
Bloom Cycle: Late Spring to Fall
Height: 12 - 24 inches
Spread: 36 - 60 inches
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Moist, Well-Drained
Hardness Zone: 5 - 10
These typical growing standards may vary depending on the variety of groundcover roses.
Hybrid Tea Roses
Hybrid Tea Roses are bush roses that are characterized by their single blooms. Hybrid teas are the perfect choice for gardeners who want to add a touch of elegance to their landscape. Their blooms are voluptuous with beautiful petals. These roses look best when harvested and displayed in an elegant vase on your kitchen counter, although the entire plant is beautiful too.
Hybrid Teas typically start to produce beautiful blooms in late spring to early summer. These perennial flowers bloom until fall.
Tequila Sunrise Hybrid Tea Rose
Bloom Cycle: Late Spring to Fall
Height: 36 - 48 inches
Spread: 24 - 36 inches
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Moist, Well-Drained
Hardness Zone: 5 - 10
These typical growing standards may vary depending on the variety of hybrid tea roses.
Rose Trees
Rose Trees are rose plants that have been grafted onto a central trunk. These roses are perfect for gardeners who want to add a touch of drama to spice up their garden. These beautiful roses are low-maintenance and don't require deadheading. These roses grow yearly, bringing you beautiful blooms for years.
Rose trees typically start to bloom late spring to early summer. They will continue to give you beautiful flowers until frost.
Pink Knock Out® Rose Tree
Bloom Cycle: Late Spring to Fall
Height: 36 - 48 inches
Spread: 24 - 36 inches
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Moist, Well-Drained
Hardness Zone: 5 - 10
These typical growing standards may vary depending on the variety of rose tree.
Rugosa Roses
Rugosa Roses are a type of bush rose that is known for its hardiness. These perennial flowers are perfect for gardeners who live in colder climates or who want a mostly maintenance free rose experience. They have a fairly quick growth rate and form a dense thicket of leaves.
This variety of rose blooms from spring to fall, or until the first frost. Their clusters of brilliant flowers are surrounded by green foliage, making the colors stand out. They often come in pink, red, lavender and white varieties.
F.J. Grootendorst
Bloom Cycle: Spring to Fall
Height: 48 - 72 inches
Spread: 48 - 72 inches
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Moist, Well-Drained
Hardness Zone: 5 - 10
These typical growing standards may vary depending on the variety of rugosa roses.
Types of Rose Blooms
Not only should you ask when do roses bloom, but you should also question, "What are the various types of blooms?"
There are three main types of rose blooms: Single, Semi-Double, and Double. Each type of rose bloom cycles is beautiful, but most modern roses consist of 20 - 40 petals. In the next section, we will break down each of the main types of blooms.
Single Rose Bloom
A single rose bloom will have 4 - 8 petals. The petals typically fall within a single row. These roses are the closest to ancient wild-rose species. When people think of roses, single blooms are not their first thought. The roses that most people envision when they start to plant roses have somewhere between 20 - 40 petals.
Cherokee roses are native to China and Taiwan and other parts of Asia. They are considered wild climbing roses. Although, it is considered invasive within the United States, it is a prime example of a single bloom rose. Another example of a single bloom rose would be the 'My Sunshine', considered a miniature rose.
The 'My Sunshine' produces medium yellow roses. They are slightly fragrant and thrives with morning sun. They are repeat bloomers and will continue to produce more flowers throughout the season. Their flowers are surrounded by healthy foliage allowing the yellow to stand out against their green leaves.
Adding single bloom roses are the perfect flowers to enhance your garden without being overly distracting. Single bloom roses will allow a different plant to be your centerpiece within your garden.
Semi-Double Rose Bloom
A semi-double rose will have 9 - 16 petals. Those that love roses may desire to add a variety of rose that produce smaller blooms to add dimension to their garden. Having different sized blooms can create contrast and allow you create full garden visually while highlighting specific plants that are your favorites that you would like to stand out.
An example of rose variety that may have semi-double rose blooms is the 'Rosa Mundi'. The Rosa Mundi flower is a medium sized rose that is great for attracting pollinators like bees to your garden. Adding Rosa Mundi roses can also be used to make a mixed border by surrounding the Rosa Mundi rose with a slightly smaller or taller bush to create contrast. These roses prefer full sun or partial sun for half of the day.
Double Rose Bloom
A double rose bloom will have 17 - 25 petals. The petals on these flowers are plentiful enough to create a full look.
The 'Red Double Knock Out Rose', for example, will have blooms that typically fall within double bloom category. The flowers on the plant are bright red, and would be the perfect flower to add to your front yard landscaping. These roses are sweet smelling, and will attract bees and other pollinators to your garden.
Full Bloom
This flower will have 26 - 40 petals. This is the petal count that most roses on the market today fall within. These roses produce flowers with several rows of petals, creating a full bloom of flower that most people enjoy having in their gardens.
An example of a rose flower variety that usually produces this bloom is the floribunda rose. This variety produces gorgeous flowers and many flower buds throughout the growing season. It is the perfect flower for your yard if you have slightly acidic soil ph and don't mind having to prune roses occasionally. These great statement pieces will stand out among other garden roses. As repeat bloomers, you'll get to enjoy them for many years to come.
Very Full Bloom
Lastly, a very full bloom will have 41 or more petals. These roses full of silky petals and are unbelievably thick. They are also flower show show stoppers as they are usually fairly large in comparison to other roses.
The 'Félicité Parmentier' rose is a marvelous example of this rose flow variety that has beautiful bloom cycles. They are pink roses and are extremely fragrant. These roses grow in various climates and can be grown in the 5 - 9 USDA growing zones. Afternoon shade is fine for these roses as long as they get enough sun during the day.
How to Care for Roses to Ensure Beautiful Blooms
Now that you understand the different stages and types of roses and when they bloom, it's time to learn how to properly care for them. The care for roses can vary depending on the species and variety of the rose. Still, there are some consistent tips for maintaining beautiful roses and ensuring that they bloom as intended. Growing roses can be simple if you understand the foundational steps.
Feed the Flowers
Ensure you continue to fertilize your roses after they have been planted. Roses, like humans, need certain nutrients to thrive. It is recommended to fertilize your roses at least three times, if not more, during sun year round the blooming season of spring to fall.
Right after winter, or once you've planted the flower, make sure you apply fertilizer. Then follow the instructions on the fertilizer to set a schedule, or remember the two-month rule. You should at the very least, re-fertilize your roses every two months to ensure consistent and healthy blooms.
There are also organic gardening on the market or you can create your own. For example, used coffee grounds can be added to water and poured over your roses as a fertilizer. The coffee grounds will provide some nutrients to the flower and help them grow.
Pruning
As discussed in the above section, some rose varieties need consistent pruning after a bloom. Pruning is when you remove the dead flowers from a rose bush to improve the rose bushes' ability to grow and produce new growth. Essentially, you're stopping the plant from using unnecessary energy to sustain the dead head and allowing it to focus its energy on creating new flowers.
Pruning methods can vary depending on the rose you are working with. However, the best way to prune is by using pruning shears. Ensure you have pruning sheers and good gardening gloves to avoid pricks from thorns. When you're ready to prune, examine the plant for dead leaves, flowers, or weak limbs. Making 45-degree angle cuts about a 1/4 inch above an outward-facing bud after bloom cycles is a great time to prune your roses.
If pruning roses doesn't sound like something you would like to dedicate time to, we recommend acquiring a rose variety that performs self-maintenance. Ground cover roses, as mentioned, do not require pruning, so they might be a great addition to your garden if you're looking into adding a low-maintenance rose.
Water
Roses typically thrive in moist soil- but not too wet. They don't like sitting in abundant water but enjoy being hydrated. Your local weather conditions and climate will determine how often you need to water your roses with a hose or a watering can.
However, when it does come time to water, you can apply water directly to the soil at the base of the plant.
Inspect for Insects
Insects can cause significant damage to roses and even kill the plant. It's essential to check for rose pests often by examining the leaves. If you notice numerous holes on the leaves, then it's likely that some species of aphids have taken hold of your plant. Rose aphids suck the sap out of roses. This can become a huge problem for your rose garden. If rose aphids multiply and are not taken care of they can damage the rose buds on your bushes before they even have the chance to bloom. Or, these pests can cause the rose bush to become too stressed and leave it wilting. In other terms, rose aphids can become a major problem for your rose bushes so it's important to take care of them as soon as you notice them.
You can use a rose and flower insect spray or repellant to keep these pests at bay. Follow your specific insect treatment's instructions for proper treatment. However, insect sprays typically require you to spray the leaves of the rose plant once aphids have been identified or numerous holes have started appearing on your plant.
If insecticides are not your style, you could try a home-made concoction of white vinegar, dish soap, baking soda and water. Mix one cup of water with one tablespoon of white vinegar within a spray bottle. Add in one tablespoon of dish soap and then one tablespoon of baking soda. Mix the ingredients well. Then, spray the rose with the mixture until the rose bush is well coated. This natural mixture should not harm your roses and it will assist with keeping insects away.
Mulch
Mulch can help keep the roses' soil moist. It's important to add new mulch yearly and as needed to ensure that do not lose the essential moisture in its soil. We recommend not using dyed mulch. Although the variety of colors dyed mulch is offered in is beautiful, it can impact the natural wildlife and your soil. Utilizing dyed mulch could, over time introduce harmful contaminants to your soil and kill beneficial soil bacteria, earthworms and other insects that are necessary for healthy soil.
We much prefer and recommend utilizing natural wood chips as a mulch like cedar or pine to avoid any negative effects on your local ecosystem.
What to Do if Your Roses Don't Bloom
If your roses still don't bloom- that's ok. All rose bushes go through a dormancy stage, especially when they are first planted. This is when the plant takes a break and focuses on growing its roots. If you live in an area with harsh winters, it's likely that your roses are in a state of dormancy, especially during early spring.
However, there are many other factors that may lead to why your roses are not blooming as they should or haven't bloomed at all and many of these reasons are out of your control. If you find yourself in this situation, don't fret. There are still things that you can do to help your roses along, or you can always start over which is both the most devastating and beautiful part of gardening.
So.... "When, when do roses bloom?"
After reading this article, you know when different roses bloom, and how to take most roses. If your roses still aren’t blooming by following these tips, don’t worry! You might have to coax them to produce their first bloom, but after they are repeat bloomers and will dazzle for years to come.