How to Plant, Grow, and Care For Autumn Damask Roses
If you're looking for a rose that keeps blooming into the fall months, look no further than Autumn Damask Roses. The habit is in the name of these wonderful plants! Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to learn about growing Autumn Damask cultivars.

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In story and song, cuisine, garden, and floristry, one flower stands head and hips above the rest. Roses are famous for their many fine virtues. Their velvet petals, glossy foliage, sweet perfumes, and use in many cosmetic preparations are all examples of what they offer.
Whether you are an expert or a fledgling rose cultivator, no doubt you understand the allure behind these delightful plants. It’s no wonder their history of hybridization is so extensive. The quest to breed the most perfect specimens is one studied by some of the finest breeders in history.
Autumn Damask Rose Overview

Plant Type
Perennial
Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rosa
Species
Damascena
|
Native Area
Middle East
Exposure
Full Sun
Height
4’-5’
Watering Requirements
Moderate
|
Pests & Diseases
Aphids, mites, caterpillars, black spot, rust, replant disease, dieback, powdery mildew, rosette virus
Maintenance
Moderate
Soil Type
Fertile, loose, well-drained, acidic
Hardiness Zone
4-9
|
What Is It?
Autumn Damask roses have a rich history. They are among the earliest repeat blooming roses brought to Europe. It also answers to the names ‘Quatre Saisons’ French for ‘Four Seasons’ and ‘La Rosa di Ogni Mese’ (Italian for ‘The Monthly Rose’). The scientific name R. damascena bifera refers to its ability to bloom twice yearly, sometimes more.
First introduced in England in 1582 by way of Italy, the species is thought to be native to the Middle East. That is merely speculation, however, as recent DNA analysis indicates that it is an ancient hybrid. Wherever it originated, for many years, it was the only rose that reliably bloomed in the fall in England. Thus, the name Autumn Damask.
Characteristics

As rose shrubs go, this one is medium to tall in stature with light green, serrated foliage. Considered an Old Garden rose, Damask roses have the reputation of being highly fragrant and blooming repeatedly into the fall months.
The blooms are large and loosely double-petaled. They appear in small clusters beginning in May and then re-blooming in flushes about once every six to seven weeks. It has many of the wonderful qualities of its peers, having long adapted to its environment. However, it lacks some of the disease resistance of modern hybrids.
The shrub has excellent cold tolerance, surviving winters as far North as Zone 4. The stems are long and gently arching, weighted down when flowers bloom. This rose’s fragrance is rich and distinct, and it is often distilled for perfumery.
Native Area

Until recently, most rose historians believed the Autumn Damask rose was native to the Middle East or Central Asia. It exhibits traits of other roses native to both regions, though, which is perplexing. Recently, DNA points to a more likely story. Perhaps this was an early hybrid, bred intentionally to be a large, fragrant, repeat-blooming rose.
Planting
As vintage roses go, Autumn Damask is fairly tolerant. It reacts well in partially shaded areas and has few soil limitations. It does need good drainage and tends to be more susceptible to diseases than modern hybrids.
Choose a spot with good light, drainage, and air circulation to keep this shrub happy and thriving. Fall is an excellent time to plant roses while the soil is warm and the air is cool. These factors reduce stress, helping the plant to establish roots quickly before dormancy.
Prepare a hole as deep as, and two to three times the width of your root ball. Position your shrub in the hole and backfill it with soil after mixing in any desired amendments. Water well and spread a two-inch layer of mulch on top to help maintain moisture.
For bare-root roses, pre soak before planting for 1 to 12 hours. Build a mound of soil in the center of your hole, loosen the roots, and lay them over the mound to spread them out. Then, backfill as usual, water, and apply mulch.
Growing from Seed

Growing roses from seeds is a long and labor-intensive process, but it’s not especially difficult. Hybrids do not breed true from seeds, so it’s not commonly done by rose gardeners looking for a specific type. It is far more common to propagate by cuttings, which we will get into a bit later on.
How to Grow
Roses are not plants that you can put in the ground and forget. While this specific cultivar is not altogether difficult to tend to, it does require some specific care.
Light

In general, roses prefer full sun exposure, which equates to a minimum of six hours daily. The preferred time of day for the bulk of those hours is early in the day, as the morning sun is less harsh and less likely to scorch your leaves.
These are sturdy plants that can tolerate a lot of light. However, Autumn Damask is perfectly content in a partial shade environment. Four to six hours of direct sun will be sufficient for this cultivar.
Water

Once established, older roses are more drought-tolerant than modern hybrids. You’ll want to keep the soil moist when first planted, but a mature plant can handle drying between waterings. Though they can tolerate it, they will be happiest when you water them regularly.
Watering a rose regularly looks different from some other plants. The general rule is to water deeply but infrequently. Soak the ground once per week to encourage blooming and healthy foliage, especially during the hot summer months.
Water the ground, not the plant. When you water your rose, make sure to water at the soil level and don’t sprinkle water over the foliage. Consistently wet foliage is prone to powdery mildew, and it’s a waste of water. The water on the foliage will evaporate rather than soak in.
Soil

Roses are heavy feeders. It takes a lot of nutrients to produce their flowers. If you want them to reach their full potential, you’ll want to plant them in soil that supports their needs. Moist, well-drained, fertile loam is the ideal soil for these perennials. Even if your soil is loamy and rich, it’s not a bad idea to mix in some compost or manure to give it a boost.
Temperature and Humidity

Damask roses are tolerant of a wide range of climates. They can handle the winter weather of Zone 4 and the summer heat in Zone 9. That said, the ideal temperature in which they will do the most rapid growing is between 60-70°F (16-21°C).
Mulching your roses is useful in both warm and cool climates for similar reasons. Mulch helps to insulate the soil, holding in warmth in winter and maintaining moisture in hot, dry summer weather. In terms of humidity, roses like a fair amount. In the range of 50-70% is ideal.
Fertilizing

Older rose species tend to be more efficient with nutrients, but in general, they all need fertilizer if you want them to produce a lot of flowers. In addition to promoting a better bloom, fertilizer nourishes the whole plant, helping to fortify it against pests and diseases. A strong plant is more capable of bouncing back after an infestation or run-in with powdery mildew.
I’m partial to organic fertilizers because they release nutrients gradually, and there is less risk of burning up your roots. Chemical fertilizers can be harsh and promote stress in plants that can lead to pests and diseases. Specialty rose fertilizers contain a customized ratio of nutrients that work well for these plants.
Start fertilizing two weeks ahead of your last expected frost date in the spring. Then, repeat every six weeks throughout the growing and blooming seasons. Before you fertilize, water your plant to protect the roots and avoid burning them. Two months before your first frost, stop fertilizing. This prevents new growth that can get damaged in winter cold.
Maintenance

Autumn Damask shrubs are similar to hybrid teas in terms of their maintenance and pruning needs. Throughout the growing season, you need only to deadhead them to encourage more flowering. Don’t prune them back hard after their first bloom, or the second will be lackluster.
Wait until winter or very early spring, when the shrub is dormant, to do your pruning. The ideal time is after the coldest weather has passed but before it breaks dormancy.
Your stronger canes are those that will produce the most blooms. Trim these down by about one-third. This will give you some space to work on the interior of the plant. Remove any dead or diseased wood and any branches that are thinner than a pencil. Remove any branches that cross the interior, as these interfere with air circulation and general aesthetic.
Propagation

Because Autumn Damask is a hybrid, albeit an old one, it won’t breed true from seeds. You can grow a rose from the seeds, but it could have different characteristics from the parent. Because of this, softwood cuttings are the most used and most successful way to propagate.
The best time to take your cuttings is immediately after a bloom. You want your cuttings to be new wood but hardened off so that they are strong enough to endure the rooting process. Wood that is too new may rot before growing roots.
Once you have your cuttings, here are some steps for successfully propagating your beautiful rose bush.
- Cut sections of stem that are about six inches long with two or more leaves. Cut the base just below a node so that the node is at the bottom of the cutting.
- Rooting hormone is optional, but I recommend it, as it speeds the rooting process, and faster rooting means a higher chance of success.
- Fill small pots with moist, loose, well-draining potting mix. Make a small hole about an inch or so deep in the soil, insert the end of your cutting, and firm the soil around the stem.
- Optionally, you can use a plastic bag or other covering to create a greenhouse effect around your cutting. Depending on your climate, this can be good or bad. In areas of high humidity or in a greenhouse, you aren’t likely to need this, and it could lead to fungus.
- Find a spot for your cuttings that gets bright but indirect sunlight.
- For the first two weeks, keep it humid. If you’ve opted not to use plastic to cover your cuttings, make sure to mist them regularly throughout the day.
- Your cutting will take six to eight weeks to form roots, at which point you can increase the amount of sun and remove the plastic covering.
- Keep your cutting moist and cared for until it is time to transplant.
You can also mound layer your rose. Find a section of branch close to the ground and cut into the end with a sharp, sterile knife. You want to cut about halfway in so the stem is still attached. Then place a mound of soil on top of the cut, and weigh the branch down with a rock or landscaping staple. When roots form, free the rooted area from the parent plant, and pot it up.
Common Problems
Sadly, roses are susceptible to quite a number of pests and diseases. The older varieties are said to be less vulnerable, but the environment plays a role. Good plant hygiene and a healthy and biodiverse garden are important tools to fend off intruders.
Pests

Roses have many natural enemies in the garden. Some of the insects that bother them include aphids, scales, mites, thrips, beetles, slugs, and grasshoppers. Some of these are best controlled naturally by attracting beneficial, predatory insects.
Insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and wasps help control aphid, mite, and scale populations. Maintaining a healthy yard with diverse plantings is the best way to attract these helpers. Avoiding pesticides and providing food sources, like nectar plants, also attract them to your garden.
You can control beetles, slugs, and the occasional caterpillar by hand-picking them. Traps work for some of these as well but place them far from the plants to lure bugs away rather than drawing them closer. Spray aphids and thrips with a strong stream of water from a hose to remove them.
Mites are a huge problem for roses, and may also be vectors for rosette virus. To control them, maintain proper care of your roses, and employ miticides if necessary.
Grasshoppers are difficult and tough. Keep the ground around your roses mowed and cleaned up, as grasshoppers breed in tall grass and weeds. If you still have issues with them, insecticides are sometimes necessary. Note that once the weather cools, the presence of grasshoppers will lessen. Just remember that when you use pesticides, you eliminate the beneficial insects, too, and they are big helpers in the garden.
Diseases

Roses are susceptible to many diseases, which is part of what makes them high-maintenance plants. Some of the more common or serious ones to worry about include black spots, powdery mildew, and stem canker. Dieback, along with several other fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases, can also crop up.
Good hygiene is the best way to prevent disease. Keeping pest populations down stems from the spread of certain viruses and prevents back mold, which grows in their excrement. Maintaining good airflow through and around the foliage, along with good watering practices, helps to keep fungal diseases at bay.
Remove damaged leaves with leaf spot, powdery mildew, and rust. Any stems with canker should also be removed as they crop up. Pruning is often your best line of defense when it comes to rose diseases. For rosette virus, control mite populations to prevent its spread.
Always remove diseased branches and foliage to slow the spread of the infection. For roses with mosaic virus, or rosette virus, the entire plant needs to leave the garden. Mosaic virus appears as yellow mottling on the leaves and rust as small, raised, rust-colored spots. Burn any plant parts with rosette virus as this is a highly communicable disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you plant them with?
Many wonderful plants pair well with roses, including herbs like rosemary, lavender, thyme, and sage, as well as hydrangeas, catmint, and many blooming bulbs.
Are they safe for pets?
No, roses are non-toxic and edible, but they do have thorns, which can cause major digestive issues for curious pets.
Why isn’t my shrub flowering?
It could be the result of many environmental factors. Not enough water or light are significant culprits. A lack of nutrients can also damage your plant’s blooming ability. Incorrect pruning and pest infestation are additional reasons for a lack or scarcity of flowers.