2024 Rose Of The Year

OSO EASY PEASY®
Rosa

A Rose That Lives up to Its Name

Large, abundant clusters of small, vivid magenta flowers
Self-cleaning from early summer through frost
Highly resistant to black spot and powdery mildew
Winner of the American Rose Society’s Award of Excellence in the No Spray Division
Thrives in at least 6 to 8 hours of sun per day
Measures 30-40” tall x 30-40” spread
Perennial in USDA zones 4-9
Pronounced “ROSE-uh”

Yes, roses really can be easy to grow! Plant Oso Easy Peasy® rose in a sunny spot and watch it pump out its magenta blooms from early summer through frost with no need to remove the spent flowers. This broadly mounded rose makes a gorgeous groundcover when planted en masse. Strong resistance to black spot and powdery mildew keeps it easy to maintain, freeing you up to work on other tasks in the garden. Better yet, just relax and enjoy the show!

HOW TO GROW OSO EASY PEASY® ROSA

oso easy peasy all-star rose planting

Planting

Roses require full sun to grow and bloom, so choose a spot that receives a minimum of six hours of direct sun per day. If it receives full sun all day, that’s even better.

Oso Easy Peasy rose will need consistent watering, so be sure to plant it where the hose or sprinkler can reach. Roses are not drought tolerant. However, it’s better if their foliage doesn’t get wet on a regular basis so, if possible, direct the water towards the plant’s roots rather than its foliage when you irrigate. Watering early in the morning is preferable to ensure the foliage is dry before nightfall. Though this rose has exceptional disease resistance, proper watering is still important to prevent disease.

When planting, dig the hole about twice as wide but just as deep as the container it is growing in. If the roots are densely circled around when you take the plant out of the pot, loosen them a bit to help break the “root memory”. This will encourage the roots to grow outward instead of continuing in the circular pattern.

Set the plant in the hole, making sure that the top of the rootball is level with the top of the surrounding soil. Then backfill the hole with the soil you dug out and press it down with your hand firmly to eliminate any big air pockets around the roots. Water it in to help the soil settle. Finally, spread some mulch around the plant, taking care to keep it a couple of inches away from the base. The mulch will help to retain the soil moisture and protect the roots during winter.

oso easy peasy rose closeup

Pruning

In early spring as this rose’s leaf buds are beginning to swell, it’s a good idea to cut the whole plant back by about half to one-third its total height. Doing so removes the thinner stems at the top of the plant and ensures that the growth for the new season comes from the heartier buds further down the stems. Don’t sweat exactly where you cut the stems too much. Simply cut right above where a nice, big bud is emerging on the stem.

When you prune your roses in spring, feed them with a granular rose food. This will help them start the new season off right with plenty of nutrients to support the new growth.

Oso Easy Peasy is a self-cleaning rose, meaning its spent flowers will naturally drop their petals. New flowers will form on the stems whether or not you remove the old blossoms, but you could choose to do so for sake of appearance.

oso easy peasy rose uses

Uses

One of our favorite uses for Oso Easy Peasy rose is as a low hedge or border around a seating area or planted alongside a path or driveway. The delicate form of its blossoms is easy to appreciate from an up close perspective. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy a closer view of the pollinators who visit them on sunny days.
The full shape, vigorous growth and excellent disease resistance of this rose makes it easy to grow alongside other perennials and shrubs in flower borders. If you have a separate spot in your landscape where you tend to group all of your roses, this variety will be a shining star among them. It can also be incorporated into foundation plantings.
Of course, roses are also classic cut flowers. Since Oso Easy Peasy rose produces flowers continually from early summer through frost, there will be plenty to clip and share with friends all season. Pick them when most of the buds in the flower clusters are plump and just beginning to open to make your bouquet last longer.