COLLEGE STATION — It’s late autumn, and most of the blossom-laden plants that colored summer are fading.
But seasonal changes offer no excuse for roses in experimental plots around Texas. They had better be loaded with colorful, fragrant autumn blooms and healthy green foliage if they ever expect to be planted in someone’s yard. That’s the contention of picky rose breeder Dr. David Byrne, Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist based in College Station.
“The first thing I select for is a lot of flowers, because that’s what a gardener wants,” Byrne said as he paced one of his test plots. “Gardeners don’t just want one or two pretty flowers, they want hundreds. We look for a plant that’s at least 50 percent covered with flowers.”
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Texas A&M AgriLife Today
