Rosebush demise

Question

We live in Charlotte,NC. We’ve had a rosebush for over 5 years. It bloomed from spring through fall, was well established. About two months ago, August(?), it almost overnight, died. All the roses and leaves withered, dried up and died off. We have not had a green spot on this rosebush since. We have other rosebushes and plants in close proximity and none of these has been touched. What could cause a well established, seemingly healthy rosebush to die almost overnight? I’m sure it took no more than two days for the plant to die. I thought it was just lacking water, but none of the other plants showed the same signs. Not a leaf or rose left on plant at this time. Really puzzled over this. No pesticides being used because I have two bee hives within twenty feet of this rosebush. Sure it was not from pests, but don’t know of any other reasons for such a rapid die off. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Answer 1

The times I have seen this happen there have been the following causes: A big dog peed on the rose or roses, someone spraying weed spray got drift over onto the rosebush, someone applied a ground killer product and it leeched over through the soils and killed the rose or rosebushes (I saw this same thing kill an old but healthy peach tree once too!), someone dumped out some chemical either directly on the ground by the rosebush or nearby and it leeched over and killed the rosebush or some voles ate the root system down to nearly nothing underground thus killing the rosebushes. I have personally seen what appeared to be very healthy rosebushes do as you said your rose bush did after one nights Vole attack.
Usually one of these items is the cause for such rapid demise of a rosebush. I hope you can plant a new rose there next season once the culprit has been figured out.