When Do Roses Come Out of Dormancy?

Roses are one of the most popular and pretty flowering shrubs that people grow in their own yards. It’s easy to see why roses are so popular in gardens—their beautiful blooms and sweet scent. But after putting on a beautiful flower show in the spring and summer, roses lose their leaves and go into a dormant state in the fall and winter. This time of rest is very important to the growth cycle of a rose. What time does it get from being bare and sleeping to being full of green growth and flowers?

What is Dormancy in Roses?

Dormancy is a natural stage in a rose’s annual life cycle where growth stops temporarily. During dormancy, roses

• Lose all their leaves
• Halt active growth
• Stop blooming
• Minimize metabolic activity to require less energy

Rose bushes can safely survive the cold winter months by going into dormancy.

When warmer spring weather arrives, the dormancy breaks and roses resume vigorous growth and blooming. So dormancy is not a permanent sleep state, but rather a temporary pause to overwinter.

Signs Your Rose Bush Has Entered Dormancy

How do you know when rose bushes in your garden have entered their period of winter rest? Here are the signs:

• Leaves yellow and drop off, leaving bare canes
• No new growth visible on stems
• Flower buds absent
• Dieback of small branches from cold damage
• Rose hips remaining from summer dry up and turn black
• Bark loosens and slips off more easily when rubbed

Once all the foliage sheds and roses cease any extension of canes or leaves, dormancy has begun.

When Do Roses Enter Dormancy?

The exact timing varies a bit depending on climate:

• In northern zones, roses enter dormancy in late fall as temperatures drop and daylight wanes. This coincides with first hard frosts arriving.
• In warmer southern regions, roses may keep actively growing into winter. They only become dormant when hit with cold snaps.

On average across most areas, roses enter dormancy between October and December as winter settles in. Shortening day length below 10 hours also triggers the dormancy response.

Roses need 200-800 chilling hours below 45°F during dormancy to later break dormancy and resume growth. The amount varies among rose species and cultivars.

Signs That Roses Are Waking From Dormancy

When do dormant roses begin transitioning back to active growth mode? Look for these clues:

• Swelling leaf buds as they prepare to sprout
• New green shoots emerging from canes
• Basal canes extending from the bud union
• Loose bark that slips off more easily as sap flow increases

Once plump buds appear, expect small new leaves to unfold within days. This signals the end of dormancy as roses restart their growth and flowering cycles.

Factors That Stimulate Growth After Dormancy

What triggers dormant roses to wake back up and renew growth? Several key factors:

• Warmer Daytime Temperatures – Highs consistently above 50°F energize roses to restart growth.
• Increasing Day Length – 12-14 hours of sun prompts hormonal changes.
• Chilling Hours Met – Each rose variety needs a minimum chilling time to break dormancy.
• Early Spring Rains – Moisture jumpstarts growth processes and sprouting.

When Do Roses Break Dormancy by Region

The exact timeframe roses awaken from dormancy varies by location:

• Southern Warm Zones (7-9) – Roses may only briefly go dormant, reactivating as early as January.
• Northern Cold Zones – Roses remain dormant into late March until temperatures have warmed.
• Coastal Areas – Ocean effects moderate temperatures, so dormancy breaks earlier.
• Interior Regions – Colder continental climates delay dormancy release until April.

Across most regions, roses transition out of dormancy and initiate spring growth sometime during March and April on average.

Timing Rose Care Around Dormancy Stages

Knowing when roses enter and exit dormancy allows you to schedule care properly:

• Prune in late winter just before new growth emerges.
• Apply dormant spray during the sleep stage to prevent pests.
• Plant new roses in winter when dormant to reduce transplant shock.
• Hold off fertilizing until dormant roses are waking up.
• Monitor for early sprouts if warm spells hit and break dormancy prematurely.

Changing your rose care schedule to match their dormancy cycles will help your plants stay healthy and give you more flowers.

Caring for Roses During Dormancy

Even while dormant, roses need proper care and protection to survive winter:

• Water plants less frequently but don’t let soil dry out completely.
• Avoid fertilizing to prevent stimulating growth prone to cold damage.
• Check for diseases like black spot and powdery mildew.
• Prune out dead wood to improve air circulation.
• Protect from extreme cold using covers and insulating mulch.

With attention during their dormant months, your roses will awake vigorous and ready to bloom in spring.

Be Patient for Dormant Roses to Awaken

If warmer weather comes early, wait for roses that have been dormant to wake up. Recovery takes time as the plants transition out of dormancy. Renewed growth will emerge over several weeks.

Give dormant roses care such as:

• Watering if soil is dry
• Removing dead branches
• Applying balanced fertilizer
• Adding protective mulch

With proper care aligned to their dormancy cycle, roses will reward you with a spectacular floral display after their winter rest.

Embrace the Dormancy of Roses

The dormancy period is a natural and necessary phase in the seasonal life cycle of roses. By understanding dormancy, we can time our rose care properly and support the bushes through this inactive stage.

Rather than a detriment, dormancy should be seen as a period of rejuvenation that precedes the new growth and beauty to come. Respecting the dormancy results in healthy, vibrant roses that will thrive season after season.