Short answer: We install all kinds of roses, grafted on Fortuniana rootstock where it's appropriate. Roses grow well in Winter Park and Oviedo when you start with a Florida-tough plant: a shrub rose like Knock Out® or Drift®, an old garden rose, or a rose grafted on Fortuniana rootstock. Water at the roots, not over the leaves. Do the main pruning in January or February, feed during the growing season, and stay ahead of black spot.
Which roses grow best in Central Florida?
Florida's heat, humidity and sandy soil are hard on many roses, and a lot of the roses sold nationally weren't chosen with Florida in mind. UF/IFAS points to three groups:
- Shrub roses like Knock Out® and Drift®: lower-care, repeat bloomers, and the easiest place to start.
- Old garden roses such as 'Louis Philippe', 'Mutabilis' and 'Mrs. B.R. Cant', which have a long track record in Florida gardens.
- Grafted roses on Fortuniana rootstock. UF/IFAS recommends Fortuniana rootstock for grafted roses in Florida. It's the way to grow hybrid teas and floribundas here.
For climbing roses on a fence or arbor, UF/IFAS lists the Lady Banks rose (Rosa banksiae) as well suited to Florida.
Right plant, right place matters as much as the variety. Roses want plenty of sun and good air movement. A rose crowded against a wall or tucked under an oak will fight disease all year.
When should you prune roses in Winter Park?
Florida roses don't go fully dormant the way roses do up north. Do the major pruning once a year in January or February, per UF/IFAS. Remove dead, diseased and crossing canes first, then cut back to healthy, outward-facing buds to open the center for air flow. Between bloom flushes, do light shaping and deadheading. Pruning in late winter, before new shoots start, also removes canes that carry black spot over from last season.
How should you water roses in Florida?
At the roots. New roses need frequent watering while they establish. After that, Florida-tough roses need much less. Drip or micro-irrigation puts water at the root zone and keeps the leaves dry. That matters, because the black spot fungus needs wet leaves for several hours to infect. UF/IFAS advises avoiding or minimizing overhead irrigation on roses. If overhead water can't be avoided, run it early in the morning so the foliage dries during the day.
Roses in a bed that shares a zone with turf sprays are a common problem we fix. Our preference is to put roses on their own drip line so each gets what it needs; whether that fits depends on the project and budget.
How do you prevent black spot?
Black spot is the main leaf disease of roses in Florida. It shows up as dark spots with yellowing leaves that drop. UF/IFAS notes it can infect anywhere from about 59°F to 81°F when leaves stay wet, so in Central Florida it's a risk for most of the year. To stay ahead of it:
- Choose resistant varieties. UF/IFAS trials found good resistance in Knock Out® and HomeRun®, and in the old garden roses 'Mrs. B.R. Cant' and 'Spice'.
- Keep water off the leaves (drip, morning watering).
- Pick up and remove fallen leaves. They carry the spores.
- Prune in late winter and keep the plant open for air flow.
When and how should you fertilize roses?
Feed roses while they're actively growing, not on a monthly schedule through the winter. UF/IFAS recommends a rose fertilizer with micronutrients, applied monthly from mid-February through November in Central Florida, with smaller amounts more often in summer because rain leaches nutrients through sandy soil. The Orange and Seminole County June 1–September 30 fertilizer blackout covers landscape beds as well as lawns, so we schedule rose feeding around it.
Feeding is only part of it. Roses in raw Florida sand dry out fast and lose nutrients quickly. Working compost into the bed at planting and keeping a layer of mulch on top builds the organic matter that holds water and nutrients near the roots. Healthy lawns and landscapes do not exist without healthy living soil.
The bottom line on roses in Central Florida
Roses do well in Central Florida when you start with the right plant (a Florida-tough shrub rose or a rose grafted on Fortuniana rootstock), water at the roots, and stay ahead of black spot. If you want roses designed into your landscape, we'll pick varieties for your light and set up irrigation to match.
Call or text (407) 687-3322, or see Oviedo landscaping and Winter Park landscaping.
Frequently asked questions
What roses grow best in Central Florida?
UF/IFAS recommends shrub roses like Knock Out® and Drift®, old garden roses such as 'Louis Philippe', 'Mutabilis' and 'Mrs. B.R. Cant', and any grafted rose on Fortuniana rootstock.
When should I prune roses in Winter Park, FL?
Do the major pruning once a year in January or February, then light shaping and deadheading between bloom flushes.
What is Fortuniana rootstock?
It's the rootstock UF/IFAS recommends for any grafted rose in Florida. It's how hybrid teas and floribundas can be grown here.
How do I stop black spot on my roses?
Plant resistant varieties, water at the roots instead of over the leaves, remove fallen leaves, and prune in late winter for air flow.
How often should roses be fertilized in Central Florida?
UF/IFAS recommends monthly from mid-February through November, using smaller amounts more often in summer. Follow your county's June 1–September 30 fertilizer blackout.
