Knowledgebase

RRD or normal ? #945807

Asked September 24, 2026, 4:06 PM EDT

This rose currently looks healthy overall and is flowering normally. However, I noticed that some of the newer growth has dark red/burgundy leaves and reddish stems. Some young stems also appear to have slightly more prickles than the older green stems, although I do not see the severe distorted or clustered growth present on the first rose. Could you please let me know whether this looks like normal healthy new rose growth or whether it could represent an early stage of Rose Rosette Disease? Since I may have another rose with RRD nearby, I would also appreciate any recommendations for monitoring or protecting this apparently healthy rose.

Montgomery County Maryland

Expert Response

The burgundy-red new growth is normal for many rose cultivars, and what is pictured doesn't look suspect as far as that trait goes. We don't see any other clear indications of Rose Rosette Disease in the pictured plant parts, but you can keep an eye on it if another rose nearby is showing more distinctive symptoms. There is no direct way to protect a rose from contracting RRD, as the mite that transmit the virus are essentially microscopic and not well-controlled with pesticide. If you have another rose that you are more certain has RRD, it's recommended to remove it and dispose of it so it doesn't harbor mites that can spread the disease further. The mites blow around easily from plant to plant, and whatever source originally produced the infected mites (likely a "wild" weedy rose in a natural area nearby) that presumably infected the other shrub could just as easily colonize other roses in the future and transmit the virus again. You can learn more about RRD on the linked page.

Miri

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