Cutie Pie Miniature Rose Tree

Pink is always a favorite color, and that is true for everyone, with surveys showing it is the favorite of men as well as women. When combined with other tones in a rich rose, it really wins hearts and brings endless pleasure in the garden. No wonder the Cutie Pie™ Miniature Rose Tree was called that, with its utterly adorable fully-double flowers, which bridge the gap between the usual tiny flowers of miniature roses and the larger, ‘vase-ready’ blooms of a Hybrid Tea rose. On a small bush, but raised into the air for closer appreciation by a sturdy trunk, this fabulous new variety ticks all our boxes for the perfect rose, and the American Rose Society thought so too when they bestowed their coveted Award of Excellence on this beauty in 2018.

The Cutie Pie Miniature Rose Tree grows 3 to 4 feet tall, thanks to its strong trunk, with a bushy spread of 1 to 2 feet. The rich-green foliage is glossy, and each 4-inch leaf is divided into 5 rounded leaflets, creating a full, dense bush that is truly eye-catching. The blooms are extraordinary, and so large for a miniature rose that they are almost the size of a full-grown cutting rose. Between 2½ and 3 inches across, they are perfect for vases and table decoration, as well as looking simply superb in the garden. Each bloom is carried above the foliage on a sturdy stem. Their rich and colorful tones are enhanced by a beautiful fruity fragrance you will love. Each bloom has 25 to 30 petals, and it has the classic ‘high center’ of a Hybrid Tea cutting rose. The basic color is a beautiful peachy pink, with deeper pink toning towards the ends of the petals, and shading into yellow at the base and into the heart of the blossom. The flowers are beautiful from the moment the first color peaks out from the green sepals protecting it, until the flower opens wide. This blossom doesn’t quickly drop its petals – they stay for several days even when the flower has opened fully.

Grow the Cutie Pie Miniature Rose Tree as a charming specimen in a bed. Plant a row, spacing them 2½ feet apart, as a wonderful edging to a path or driveway. Grow it in the center of a small lawn, or in an opening on a paved patio. It is perfect for container growing too, thriving in planter boxes and large pots. With a profusion of blooms following each other in succession, you can cut for a vase and still have lots of blooms to brighten the garden all summer long.

The Cutie Pie Miniature Rose Tree should be planted in full sun, since shade will reduce flowering. Roses grow best in heavier soils, so if you have a clay garden, turn it into a rose garden. The soil should be well-drained and enrich it at planting with plenty of stronger organic materials, like manures and compost. Mulch will help conserve moisture, and regular watering will keep your bush blooming continuously. All roses can suffer from some pests and diseases, but this bush has good disease resistance, and pests are often easily controlled with simple soap sprays. Mix one-third garden soil with outdoor potting soil for containers, as richer soil is valuable in keeping bushes in good bloom for several years. A sturdy stake should be used to support the plant, attaching it at two or three places along the trunk, with the top tie inside the crown. In spring, prune lightly, removing weak and damaged stems, and cut those remaining back about one-third, to a healthy, outward-facing bud. Never cut off the top growth and immediately remove any shoots that grow below the crown.

Miniature roses are a separate class of roses, and they are small, bushy, rounded plants that bloom continuously all summer. Weeks Wholesale Rose Grower, Inc. in Pomona, California specialize in them, and it was there that Tom Carruth, one of their expert rose breeders, created the Cutie Pie Miniature Rose Tree. He took one of his earlier miniature hybrids, called Ruby Ruby™ (‘WEKsactrumi’), which has full, dark red blooms, and crossed it with one of his seedlings, and among the many offspring there was one outstanding plant that caught his eye. He called it Cutie Pie™, and it is currently awaiting patent approval as ‘WEKruruel’. We had them mount this rounded bush on a single straight stem, so that our customers could enjoy its beauty and fragrance without kneeling. We know that this outstanding new rose will be wildly popular with them. Our stock will not last long, so place an order right away, while we still have some left.