Blackspot is the bane of rose growers in the humid south, including Houston. There are many approaches to controlling blackspot on roses, but the one addressed in this article is to plant roses resistant to the disease. Some roses are very susceptible to this fungus; others are highly resistant. Unfortunately, a rose that is resistant to blackspot in one part of the country may not be as resistant in another. Each rosarian will have to perform his own experiments to determine which roses are most resistant in his micro-climate.
To get you started, I have compiled a list of roses reported to be resistant to blackspot. Where possible, I have paid particular attention to lists of roses that do well in humid southern gardens. I don't grow all of these roses. I don't even agree with all of the opinions. But I am posting this list of allegedly blackspot resistant roses for your consideration in your garden. It is based on published reports in rose literature that some rose grower, in some micro-climate, reported that these roses, of all the roses the particular person was growing, displayed a resistance to blackspot. Give these roses a try, and see if they are blackspot resistant in your garden.
The candidates are listed in alphabetical order, If a number appears in parenthesis it means the rose has appeared on more than one list.
All That Jazz
August Renoir
Belinda's Dream
Brigadoon
Caldwell Pink (3)
Climbing Pinkie (2)
Constance Spry
Dortmund
Else Poulsen
The Fairy (3)
Flower Carpet
Frederic Mistral
Gruss an Aachen
Happy Trails
Iceberg (2)
Katharina Zeimet
Katy Road Pink (2)
Knock Out
Lafter
Lamarque
Mabel Steurns
Magic Carpet
Marchesa Borccella
Marie Daly
Marie Pavie (2)
Mutablis (2)
Nearly Wild
Neon Lights
New Dawn
Perle d'Or
Petite Pink Scotch
Pleasure
Ralph's Creeper
Red Cascade
Russel's Cottage
Sea Foam
Sunflare
Sunsprite (2)
Sweet Inspiration
White Dawn