Does Deadheading Roses Keep Rose Bushes Attractive?

Removing dead flowers has benefits for rose bushes.

Deadheading refers to removing the spent flowers from the bush. Yes, it does keep rose bushes attractive. Dried-up and half-dead flowers don't look particularly nice when left on the bush. Deadheading may not be necessary in some circumstances and has benefits beyond being attractive in other circumstances.

Proper Deadheading

Snapping off the flower head is one way of deadheading. A better way is to cut the stem of the dead rose back to the first five-leaflet leaf. If you want to give your rose bush a mini-pruning every time you deadhead, cut 12 inches of stem with the dead flower. While you're deadheading, look for signs of stress, mineral deficiencies or diseases. It's easier to treat a problem when it's in the early stages.

Once a Year Blooming Roses

Species roses and some old roses only bloom once a year for about a month. The bushes set buds and the buds mostly open all at the same time. It doesn't make sense to deadhead these roses. When they've finished blooming, cut the bush back to remove all spent blossoms or let the rosehips develop.

Grandiflora and Floribunda Roses

These are roses which have multiple buds and flowers at the end of the growing cane. The center largest bud opens first and the smaller surrounding buds open later. You could snap off the center flower after it has bloomed. However, the surrounding buds will soon open and hide it from view. Remove the entire cluster of spent flowers after all the buds have opened.

Rose Hips

Rose hips are attractive fruits of fertilized roses. They are a bright orange-red in the fall and provide food for birds. The hips may be dried and made into tea. If you deadhead the flowers before they're fertilized or shortly afterward, you remove the embryonic fruits. Setting rose hips also signals the rose bush that it's time to stop growing rapidly and get ready to go dormant during cold weather.

Organic Matter

Most of the time, the petals of spent flowers fall to the ground and decompose, adding organic matter to the soil. Roses prefer rich soil. Removing the wilted flowers removes this potential source of nutrients. The flower petals will soon turn brown and blend into the soil.

Promote More Blooms

Roses that bloom all season grow at the tip of the cane. If you deadhead the flowers, you're removing the tip. That mini-pruning of snipping off the dead head encourages the cane to grow another tip, which produces another rose.

References

• Sunset: Planting and Caring for Roses
• University of Illinois Extension: Different Kinds of Roses
• Ohio State: Fertilizing, Pruning and Winterizing Roses