Marianne's Response

Can I revive my single dead rose?

I have a single rose from a bouquet I was given by my boyfriend. The top half is dead and dried out but the bottom half is alive and looks pretty healthy and even grew the leaves you see in the photo. I’ve kept it in water in case I could save it. Is it possible that I can trim the flower off on top and a new flower will grow?

Posted by Monica Lizarraga on June 29, 2019

Marianne's Response

Yes, it is possible to make a cutting from a green section of rose stem but most roses from a florist are grafted which means the top growth has been grafted onto a root stalk of a hardier rose. This would result in a new rose with weak roots. Getting the cutting to survive is very tricky as it would need high humidity and a greenhouse or winter protection the first winter.  It also would take a few years for the cutting to grow to blooming size if it survived long enough to grow roots. A better option would be to hang the rose upside down so that the petals dry and you can remember the sweet gift from your honey as a dried rose flower rather than as a weak rose plant.  Keep growing, Marianne Binetti