Bare-Root vs. Container Roses (What’s the Difference?)

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Veronica Lorson Fowler

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Photo Credit: Mark A. Miller

A well-cared-for rosebush will reward you with amazing blooms!

So you want to add some roses to your garden but don’t know which type to choose. Is bareroot better, or will container-grown roses suit you best – and is there even really a difference? The answer is yes, one type may actually suit your needs better than the other. So let’s learn which one works best for you.

Many gardeners find they’ve actually got more versatility with bare-root roses. Sure, they look like they’re practically dead – just a worrisome mass of sticks and roots – but the fact is you’ll likely have a wider variety of roses to choose from than container-grown selections.

You can sometimes find bare-root roses at garden centers early in the spring, but you’ll be limited to the few dozen varieties in stock. They’re typically packed into plastic bags or cardboard boxes with their stems sticking out. (Be careful of these roses sold later in the season when they’re temptingly marked down. They’re cut-rate for a reason. And if a bare-root rose has well-developed leaves on it, don’t buy it! It’s getting too far along in its growth and will have trouble getting established once you plant it.)

Most often, gardeners purchase bare-root roses by mail. (They’re much easier to ship than container roses, and the selection is practically limitless). When they arrive, the roots will be packed in sawdust, a straw-like material or very loose soil or mulch – all of which is then wrapped in plastic to keep the roots moist. The top part will look like fat sticks, several inches to a foot or so long. They may show almost no sign of life other than some red bud-like growths that will turn eventually into stems.

Facts

Often less hardy roses are grafted onto the roots of especially tough roses, so gardeners wind up with a beautiful, disease-resistant plant. The spot where the tender rose is grafted onto the roots is called the bud union (or graft union). It’s generally a knobby area on the rose’s main stem.
Growers are increasingly selling “own-root” roses. These beauties aren’t grafted onto tough rootstock – they grow on their own roots. The advantage is that if the top dies back but the roots survive (a common occurrence in very cold areas), your rose will resprout the same plant you purchased.

Tips

In cold areas in the northern third of the country (USDA Hardiness Zone 5 and lower), the bud union should be planted 1 inch below the soil surface. In about the middle third of the country (zones 6-7), plant the bud union at soil level. In roughly the southern third of the US (zones 8-11), plant it 1 inch above soil level.
Soak your bare-root roses for several hours to get them well-hydrated before planting.

Faqs

Q: Is one rose type less expensive than the other?
A: Yes. Bare-root roses are usually less expensive than container-grown roses.

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