My Lineage Rose Bush Is Losing Leaves, There Is New Growth Buds, And No Flowers

Question

Hi I live in a tropical climate (northern nsw, australia) that has been very wet this year. This rose is from my great great grandmothers garden and been passed down, called mothers love. I have been giving it rose food. The leaves were really abundant and the plant growing then two months ago the leaves just seemed to drop off. Now the plant is almost bear. Although there is new shoots sprouting. the leave seem like they have mould on them. Will send picture.. Help please i dont want to loose this rose.

Answer 1

I didn't get a photo but are you familiar with black spot disease? Wet conditions can bring it on and it can defoliate a rose bush but doesn't usually kill it. Be sure to clean up all the fallen leaves from around the bush to help prevent it recurring. Once you get new leaves you can use a preventative fungicide to ward off future fungal issues. Another possibility is aphids. They secrete a sticky substance called honeydew that breeds sooty mold.

Here is more about black spot and sooty mold:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/roses/black-spot-roses.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/how-to-get-rid-of-sooty-mold.htm

I came across this:

https://sarose.org.au/rose-month/mothers-love/

https://sarose.org.au/growing-roses/pests-diseases/