Close-up view of rose bush.
Rose bushes are made of two basic parts, the flowering cane and the roots. The area where the two parts mean is called the graft union, and is characterized by a large bulge.
Structure
Roses come in a variety of shapes and colors.
Anchor roots are thick and provide stability for the rose bush. Feeder roots are smaller and hair-like and draw up moisture and nutrients from the soil. Bare-root rose plants typically consist of three or more canes, a bud union, and both anchor and feeder roots.
Size
Yellow rose.
Root structure sizes will vary based upon the maturity or age of the rose bush; older bushes will have thicker, more mature roots.
Root Care
Close-up view of rose thorns.
Roses are commonly sold in bare root, meaning without soil. Avoid purchasing bare-root roses with knotted roots, and UC Davis suggests limiting roots to no more than 8 inches in length since overly long roots are inefficient.
Planting
Close-up view of rose bud.
Soak bare-root roses in water for about 24 hours prior to planting. Dig a hole deep enough to allow the graft union to be covered with a few inches of soil. Dig the hole wide enough to allow the roots to be spread out.
Warning
Bouquet of pink roses.
Protect roots from severe freezing temperatures by insulating the plant with extra soil.
Tags: Close-up view, Close-up view rose, view rose, bare-root roses, enough allow