A grafted rose is a rose plant created by joining two different rose varieties into one. This is done through a process called grafting, where a cutting (called the scion) from a desired rose variety is inserted into the rootstock of a different, often hardier rose. Over time, the two parts fuse and grow as a single plant, typically with a noticeable knot or swelling at the graft union near the base of the rose.
The rootstock provides extra vigor, helping the scion grow more quickly and sometimes produce larger blooms early on. However, grafted roses come with a few drawbacks:
They are generally less winter hardy than own-root roses.
They may produce suckers—canes that grow from the rootstock—which must be regularly removed.
They often bloom less over time and can be more susceptible to disease.
At Heirloom, we specialize in own-root roses because they are hardier, longer-lived, and true to variety from the ground up.