Why are roses an important outdoor nursery crop?

Roses are a significant outdoor nursery crop primarily because they are among the most widely appreciated and cultivated ornamental plants globally, with a long history of human selection and breeding to create diverse varieties.1

In the nursery trade, rose production is highly specialized. To meet market demands rapidly and economically, growers typically use bud-grafting techniques, often employing Rosa multiflora as a rootstock. While the production process is labor-intensive—requiring skilled manual budding and consistent field maintenance—it remains a cornerstone of the ornamental shrub industry.23

To manage costs and improve efficiency, the industry has adopted specific distribution and cultivation techniques. These include applying wax coatings to the stems of dormant stock to prevent desiccation and using protective coverings like plastic or coated paper to maintain humidity. Furthermore, the evolution of container-grown stock has allowed nurseries to bypass traditional transplanting challenges, facilitating year-round sales of these popular plants.23