Q.What is wrong with my Rose
I bought four of these roses from a reputable website some nine years ago as a memory to my wife’s Grandmother Phylis. I scoured the internet and found the ‘Phylis’ Rose and bought four of them, one for my wife and one each for my mother-in-law and my wife’s uncle and her brother. Until this year, our rose has been doing the best of all and each being very healthy and flowering throughout the summer. But then this year our rose has turned very poorly looking as can be seen in the photos attached.
Instead of an abundance of leaves and then buds and blooms we have this short spikey looking growth all over. The stems of the plant look healthy but no leaves and certainly no buds.
Now, neither of us are particularly good at gardening but we potter and deadhead etc. This rose has not been moved for at least five years and seemed to be flourishing.
Please please please can someone tell me what’s up.
I have not seen this at such an early stage but my first impression is that the parasite "dodder" (Cuscuta) has infected the plant. Here is an article on dodder control. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/dodder-weed-control.htm
Contact your state cooperative extension service. they may have info on the type of dodder reported in your state and they are keen to keep this parasite under surveillance. Your county may have a walk-in clinic for help with plant problems. Just search for "[your state] cooperative extension service"
