Everyone loves red roses, and nothing says “I love you” like a red rose. There are many varieties, but you too will say, ‘Oh My!’ when you see this one. This wonderful rose tree is larger than most, just what you need to make a real impact, and by the end of the season it could stand a full 6 feet tall and wide, or even a little taller. The short but sturdy trunk will hold it clear of the ground, making a powerful statement. That isn’t even considering the blooms, but of course that is what you are here for, and you won’t be disappointed. The Oh My!™ Rose Tree has flowers that are almost 4 inches across, fully-double blooms with up to 25 broad petals, and carried singly or in clusters in a continuous stream from early summer well into fall. Oh, we almost forgot to tell you about the rich, velvety dark red color, and the soft, tea-rose fragrance that greets you, but of course those are the most outstanding things about this outstanding rose, that draws a crowd everywhere it is seen.

Growing the Oh My!™ Rose Tree

Size and Appearance

The Oh My! Rose Tree is a larger-than-normal tree rose, ideal for big, bold statements in your garden. It has a short, sturdy trunk supporting a rounded bush that will grow between 4 and 6 feet tall and wide within a couple of seasons. The leaves are glossy and dark-green, typically carried in clusters of 5 leaflets, but sometimes 7, on stalks from the branches. Each leaflet is about 2½ inches long, oval, with a pointed tip and finely-toothed edges. The dense, abundant foliage makes this a striking plant.

Flowering begins in early summer and continues well into the fall, giving you a very long season of bloom. The flowers form singly or in clusters of 2 or 3 on short stems, and each bloom, once it opens, lasts 4 to 5 days outdoors or cut in a vase. These large blooms have around 25 petals spiraling into a pointed bud that opens into a fully-double bloom of great substance. The thick petals have a velvety-satin feel and they curl backwards to form a beautiful blossom. The color is a dark, rich blood-red and this variety is notable for the ability of the flowers to remain perfect, unscorched, even in the hottest sun – many red roses fade and burn, but this one is always perfect. To top things off, bring it to your face and inhale the gorgeous and classic tea-rose fragrance it releases. Rose hips (seed pods) are almost never formed, so after the petals fall cleanly the spent flowers simply fade away beneath new shoots, and dead-heading is strictly optional.

Using the Oh My!™ Rose Tree in Your Garden

This is one of the largest tree roses we have seen, but the stem forms a solid base, holding up the sturdy branches well-clear of the ground in a striking fashion. Grow it in your shrub beds as an amazing specimen. Use it at key points around your home, such as by a doorway or at the side of steps. Plant a row along a path or driveway, or against a fence. If you have large planter boxes or tubs, it will look spectacular in one, with trailing plants growing beneath it.

Hardiness

The Oh My! Tree Rose is hardy from zone 6 to zone 9. Planted in a tub it will stand outdoors all winter safely in zones 7, 8 and 9.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The best position for this bush is in full sun, which will keep those blooms coming and coming. Richer soils, including clays, grow the best roses, but they do need to be well-drained. Adding plenty of organic materials like compost or rotted manures will help keep the heaviest soil drained, and feed your bush, helping it grow vigorously. Organic material will also enrich sandy soils, for great results.

Maintenance and Pruning

The size of this bush makes a strong, permanent stake of wood or metal something to definitely use. Drive it well into the ground and attach the plant at a couple of places along the stem and also at a couple of places up inside the crown, to prevent breakage in storms or heavy rain. The Oh My! Rose Tree is resistant to the major rose diseases, such as powdery mildew, rust or black spot, so spraying with chemicals is not needed. Any trivial pests like greenflies or thrips can be controlled with Neem Oil Spray or natural soap sprays. Both of these products are harmless to you, children, pets and the environment.

You can remove spent flowers for appearances, but they usually simply fade away. You should prune your bush once a year, in spring. If you are not experienced at pruning roses, wait until you see the buds developing, and use them as a guide. Remove completely any weak, damaged or dead stems, leaving a framework of the strongest branches. Shorten these back by one-half to two-thirds, cutting back to just above a healthy, outward-facing bud. Once established this bush will reach its full size by late summer each year.

History and Origin of the Oh My!™ Rose Tree

Christian Bédard is the head breeder at Weeks Wholesale Rose Grower, Inc. in Pomona, California. A French Canadian, he is a talented breeder with years of experience, and always creates outstanding roses. Around 2005 he took pollen from a rose called Crimson Bouquet, (‘KORbeteilich’) created by Wilhelm Kordes III, of the famous German rose-breeding family. He used it to pollinate a red rose called City of San Francisco™ (‘WEKsanpoly’) created by Christian’s predecessor at Weeks Roses, Tom Carruth. Combining these two red roses gave him a superb red seedling, which he named ‘WEKcisfribo ‘. This is the rose we call Oh My!™, which was granted a patent in 2014.

Buying the Oh My!™ Rose Tree at the Tree Center

Any lover of red roses – and what lover doesn’t love them? – will covet this superb bush. We were blown away by it, and you will be too. Order now because good things like this never last very long – unlike true love.