I have a little shade garden in the corner of my back yard. There is a tree growing that has branches with red berries in the fall and thorny branches with roses I think. The branches prevent me from weeding/planting in the garden. Pruning it is usually a bloody undertaking. I think I would like to get rid of it and plant something else for the shade. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Here is a picture of the tree blooming.
Here is a close-up of the flowers.
Elsie, it looks like a multiflora rose, but I have never seen one grow in tree form. It could also be some sort of hawthorn - known as thorn apples around here. Are the thorns hooked like rose thorns (multiflora rose), or are they longer, straighter and more like daggers (hawthorn)?
It is an oddity, either way, but if you want to be rid of it, cut it down! But invest in some thron proof gloves first, please!!!!
Kathleen, I don't know what hawthorn looks like. I do know the thorns feel like daggers. I just went out and cut a branch to get a closer picture of the thorns. Sorry it's blurry.
If I decide to get rid of it I think I'll need elbow length Kevlar gloves.
Start at the ends of the branches and cut them back until it is easier to work around - no need to be dainty with it.
Hawthron flowers look a lot like appple blossoms which look a lot like tiny single roses. They are all in the same family.
Let's try that picture again.
Those definitely look like rose thorns. Elsie, you might want to post a link to this thread in the Rose forum. Elaine might know more about it - it just seems odd that someone would turn a multiflora into a rose tree.
Thanks Kathleen.
Now the flowers are in trusses and single..by golly gee, this has got to be Rosa Mulliganii, and oh my the barbs and prickles on this one are why growing roses is called sometimes the "blood sport!" And the red berries, you refer to are Rose Hips or Heps! Elaine
This message was edited May 31, 2004 2:13 AM
This message was edited May 31, 2004 2:15 AM
Thanks Elaine. The weird thing about this tree is there are two different branches, those with thorns and those without. The branches without thorns have these red berries in the fall and different leaves. I can understand the blood sport - they're nasty. The roses are very pretty this year, but I think I may have to get some help to remove the whole thing.
This is pretty puzzling. Elsie are you sure there is only one plant here. The rose looks like the rambler, Filipes Kiftsgate but I'm not certain. Take a look here...
http://www.manntaylor.com/plantweek29b.html
louisa, what are doing up at this hour? I have some insomnia all along, usually caused by diverticulosis, so I'm going to be miserable at work tomorrow...
Elsie, it does look like the Kiftsgate I have in the backyard.It is a beautiful rose IF you have a large area for it to mature in. I think somewhere it said the rose can grow to 50 feet.
Louisa, right now I'm not sure of anything. It seems like there is one tree trunk that everything is growing from. I took some pictures and I'll try to find them.
Well, after many hours of careful pruning, I can finally see my shade garden. I looked very closely and yes there are two trees. The rose is on the other side of my fence. Hopefully this fall my brother will help me cut it down.
