by PaulGOlsen » Tue Jul 09, 2019 7:57 pm
It seems to me that 'Chinook Sunrise' is an example of the danger of focusing on flower colour (unique in this case, but very underwhelming in appearance) and not considering all aspects of the flower. It doesn't have good flower size (although there can be a place in the landscape for roses having small flowers if they have other good characteristics), good form and they fade quickly. Furthermore, I suspect cold hardiness of the shrub is going to be a problem when growing this cultivar in a Zone 2 - 3 climate.
The breeder should have asked: "How is this rose going to compete in the market with many other available shrub roses in a wide range of colours semi-hardy to a Zone 2 - 3 climate, especially when today's home landscapes have limited space to grow roses?" It appears the question wasn't asked or if it was the negative answer was ignored, because clearly this rose can't. The first rule of a commercial flower breeder is there has to be a market for a development in a particular species.
Looking at it another simpler way, an alternative question to ask would have been: "Is this a rose that, for example, Dr. Griffith Buck, the developer of so many high quality shrub roses, would introduce? People that know his roses would likely say he wouldn't have.
I think 'Chinook Sunrise' is an example of culling ruthlessly when seedlings are small. If they aren't, they can get away from you and end up unnecessarily maintained for several years and possibly even getting mistakenly introduced like this cultivar was.
It seems to me that 'Chinook Sunrise' is an example of the danger of focusing on flower colour (unique in this case, but very underwhelming in appearance) and not considering all aspects of the flower. It doesn't have good flower size (although there can be a place in the landscape for roses having small flowers if they have other good characteristics), good form and they fade quickly. Furthermore, I suspect cold hardiness of the shrub is going to be a problem when growing this cultivar in a Zone 2 - 3 climate.
The breeder should have asked: "How is this rose going to compete in the market with many other available shrub roses in a wide range of colours semi-hardy to a Zone 2 - 3 climate, especially when today's home landscapes have limited space to grow roses?" It appears the question wasn't asked or if it was the negative answer was ignored, because clearly this rose can't. The first rule of a commercial flower breeder is there has to be a market for a development in a particular species.
Looking at it another simpler way, an alternative question to ask would have been: "Is this a rose that, for example, Dr. Griffith Buck, the developer of so many high quality shrub roses, would introduce? People that know his roses would likely say he wouldn't have.
I think 'Chinook Sunrise' is an example of culling ruthlessly when seedlings are small. If they aren't, they can get away from you and end up unnecessarily maintained for several years and possibly even getting mistakenly introduced like this cultivar was.