Roses & Honeysuckles - June's Flower Babies

Are roses truly red?

We're all familiar with the catchy rhyme, "roses are red..." And, arguably, June's most recognizable flower child is the red rose. However, despite its iconic status, the red rose is relatively new on the botanical landscape. Researchers believe the earliest rose was yellow. It first appeared around 30 million years ago, making it the ancestor of all rose species. It took millions of years for genetic mutations to produce the rainbow hues seen today. As a result, on the color spectrum, the red rose is far removed from its distant ancestor. Today, more than 300 rose species and thousands of cultivated varieties of this beloved perennial are estimated to exist.

 Honeysuckle - friend or foe?

Nothing says summer like sweet-smelling honeysuckle. Catching that first whiff of the intoxicating fragrance can be nostalgic and mood-enhancing. However, only native North American  species, like trumpet honeysuckle, should be cultivated in yards and gardens. Non-native species, like  "Asian bush honeysuckle, are ecological nightmares that choke out native plants, block vital sunlight, and prevent tree regeneration." To learn more, see the section below, "Focus on Ohio Native Flora."