You all know by now I don’t have much of a garden, as as a result I’m a crazy plant lady who loves to grow plants indoors instead. I was so happy to find out I could grow roses indoors, but my first experiments didn’t go so well! So I started to purchase indoor roses like, well, a crazy plant lady, in search of the easiest kind of roses to grow indoors.
Miniature roses are the easiest kind of roses to grow indoors! Miniature roses are disease resistant, very hardy, and approximately 50cm x 50cm tall, making them perfect for any apartment or windowsill. Miniature roses grown indoors still require approximately 6-8 hours sunlight per day, – you can achieve this by placing your miniature rose on the south-facing window, or investing in special grow lights.
Although miniature roses are great for apartments and indoor spaces, you you can grow almost any variety of rose indoors, as long as it has adequate protection from draughts, and sufficient sunlight, approximately 6-8 hours per day.
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If possible, choose own-root roses to plant indoors, as they are both smaller and hardier. Most miniature roses are own-root roses. Care for them as you would for any other rose. Choose between wonderful varieties such as Lavender Jewel, Pour Toi, Peter Pan, Marlena, Stars ‘n’ Stripes for some of the easiest roses to grow indoors!
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Which varieties of roses are the easiest to grow indoors?
Rosarians generally agree that the best varieties to pick for indoors spaces are miniature roses due to their height, resistance to disease, and compact size (approx 50x50cm). Technically, any variety will grow indoors, as long as you can provide it with suitable growing conditions.
The biggest problem indoor roses face is getting enough sunshine. As roses need 6+ hours of direct sunlight, you might find yourself struggling to meet this requirement. There are not a lot of rose varieties out there which do well with artificial apartment light fixtures, as this is simply not enough to meet their needs.
While miniature roses require the same amount of light as garden roses (if not more!), providing them with enough light is much easier due to their small stature. If you have a south-facing apartment or a room, they will do just fine in a particularly sunny spot near or on the window. If your apartment lacks direct natural light, only one grow light for flowers will be enough to tend to a miniature rose.
What happens if my indoor rose doesn’t get enough light?
You will know you aren’t providing your rose (miniature or otherwise) with enough light if it starts turning leggy. This is a sure sign that your rose is stretching and struggling to get more light. If you are growing the rose near the window, you will usually see that the entire rose bush has tilted towards it, ending up in uneven and unsightly sideways growth.
Leggy roses are generally very weak and unhealthy, and might not flower during their season. This is why it is important to choose roses which can tolerate the amount of sunlight you are ready to provide. If you already have a miniature rose which has gone leggy or begun lop-sided growth, purchasing and affixing a rose grow light such as this one will provide it with quick relief! However, it might take weeks for it to recover and restart normal upright growth.
Can indoor roses get blackspot or mildew?
Miniature roses are more prone to blackspot than any other rose variety, but this should not be a problem when you are growing them indoors. Unless your apartment has issues with moisture and humidity which make fungus thrive, your indoor roses should be fine. Old apartments tend to be a perfect storm for these issues, but installing an air conditioning system, using fans, opening the windows or de-humidifying every so often will do the trick!
Conversely, most newer apartments struggle with air which is too dry. Believe it or not, this is more likely to kill your indoors rose over winter than blackspot or mildew! As the apartments are heated, the air warms and dries out, leaving no natural humidity for plants to take up. And let’s face it – we are not about to open any windows in January! If you struggle with dry air in winter, my best advice is to grow your miniature roses in a room which is physically separated from other rooms, preferably by a door which you can close. This will ensure that the temperature in your rose room can stay cooler. Be sure to use a humidifier, and you will be surprised how easy it can be to grow roses indoors!
Do indoor roses attract pests?
Indoor roses do not attract pests per se, especially if you’re living in a concrete jungle. However, the main aphid problem found on indoor roses is spider mites!
Spider mites are tiny bugs living on the underside of leaves of houseplants, feeding on them until they turn yellow and start to die off. You will easily recognise a spider mite problem as your rose will be suddenly covered in tiny little spider webs if you look very closely
Spider mites can be a big problem in low humidity, so make sure to run your humidifier daily, especially in the winter, as this is the best way to prevent them from appearing!
If you already have issues with spider mites, the first step is to isolate your rose plant from any other plants in your home. Spider mites are fast, and can quite rapidly attack other plants, but they are treatable and preventable with this DIY at home aphid-spray.
Should I choose an own-root or grafted root indoor rose?
Always choose own-root roses indoors – the benefits are overwhelming for indoors gardeners!
For the uninitiated, own-root roses are roses grown from cuttings taken from a single rose variety, rooted and grown over up to three years. They take much more time to produce than grafted roses and generally cost more. Conversely, a grafted rose is often comprised of two different rose bushes and not as hardy.
For a garden rosarian, this is not a difference that matters a whole lot. For an indoors rosarian, however, own-root roses provide benefits you can’t do without! Own-root roses are amazingly hardy, very shapely, strong and generally a bit smaller than grafted roses. The last one is particularly an advantage for those whose space limit is their own apartment. Not to mention that it’s easier to meet your rose’s needs indoors if it is smaller. Finally, the true advantage of own-root roses is that they are disease-resistant, pest-resistant and winter-resistant. This means that you can put them in a cold room or even a basement, and not worry about lack of moisture!
How to care for miniature roses indoors
You might be very surprised to hear that growing miniature roses indoors isn’t that much different from growing garden varieties! The staples of care remain the same, you just have to be a bit more vigilant to provide for your lovely rose what Mother Nature would usually take care of herself.
Give your miniature rose enough sunshine
We talked about this earlier, but miniature roses seriously need a lot of light. 8 hours a day is minimal, so make sure to place it in a corner where sunshine reaches all day long, or very close to your window. If possible, put them in a window box on a south-facing window, which will expose them sufficiently to daytime light. Your other option is to supplement the light are grow lights. Make sure to get the ones which cover a full spectrum of light!
Conversely, in the summer, make sure to distance your miniatures from the window a bit, in order for them not to burn due to strong sunlight. You can even move them to a north-facing window in warm climates. Either way, make sure to rotate your rose every week or two to save it from unnecessary legginess or preferential growth!
Water your miniature rose regularly
Another no-brainer, roses indoors need a careful drink of water as they can’t depend on rain. Container roses tend to dry out quickly, so make sure to check the soil for moisture every two days.
Container roses are susceptible to fungus and rot if overwatered, but can expressly become underwatered as they tend to drink more vigorously than garden varieties. If the soil is dry to touch, you should water your rose. If the soil is moist, it is best to hold out with watering for another day. It is a great idea to use containers with holes for drainage, preferably the ones which come with deep plates at the end to avoid getting water all over your apartment!
Use potting mix for miniature roses
Miniature roses should not be planted with garden soil, as this might introduce unwarranted pests and illnesses. Purchase a rose potting commercial soil or mix your own from 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 perlite and 1/3 compost. It is important for the soil to be slightly acidic and well-draining!
Deadhead and prune your miniature rose
Deadhead your miniature rose every time you notice a spent bloom. These tiny roses are easily burdened by having to carry extra blooms past their prime. Deadheading with clean and sharp pruners allows your rose to focus the energy into fresh flowers! Additionally, pruning your rose is ever-so-important even indoors. All indoors roses show a marked sensitivity to indoors conditions, and it is vitally important to prune dead, diseased and damaged wood before funghi or pests can attack.
Best and easiest kind of roses to grow indoors
Finally, a comprehensive list of our favourite choices for miniature rose varieties that you can grow indoors. The hardiest of the hardy roses made it on this list, ensured to be as little fuss as possible for even the beginner gardener!
Marie Pavie
Marie Pavie is a romantic soft-pink rose, a true queen of miniatures. Topping off at 50 by 50 centimetres, you can grow this beauty in every sunny corner of your apartment. A Dwarf Polyantha, you can expect this rose to bloom repeatedly throughout the season, and the lovely small blooms to emanate a pleasant, non-intrusive sweet scent.
This wonderful rose does well in pretty much any kind of soil, but it really needs full sunlight. As such, it is appropriate for only south, west and east-facing windows. If you have enough sunlight to give, Marie Pavie will reward you with dainty, elegant and abundant flushes of flowers.
Marlena
Marlena is one of those roses you will not believe you can grow indoors. A stunning scarlet-red, this Patio Rose continuously produces blooms all throughout the season. It is a prolific bloomer with a light fragrance, topping out at 50 x 50 centimetres in size, just like Marie Pavie. This ensures it will do well in corners, window boxes, windowsills and balconies.
Very suitable for pots and containers, Marlena also requires full sunlight, upwards of 8 hours a day. In absence of natural light, it will do splendidly with a full-spectrum grow light.
Bright Smile
A proof that a yellow rose is simply irresistible, this Patio Rose flowers in a bright, clear yellow. Repeat-flowering and very light on fragrance, Bright Smile is a great choice for apartments as its slightly pastel hue will brighten up the corners of your room fast! The flowes tend to be medium sized, in contrast to Marie Pavie and Marlena, but the rose bush keeps a similar size – 60 centimetres in height and 50 centimetres in width.
Thriving in all soil types, Bright Smile is a simple rose for beginners. It needs around 9 hours of sunlight a day, but does well under grow lights or on southern sides of windows. If you decide to grow it on a balcony or window box, you should know its delectable fragrance easily attracts bees and butterflies in the spring!
Perle D’Or
One of my personal favourites, Perle D’Or just has that unmatched classy pale apricot colour that looks so fancy against a window! A slightly larger variety, growing up to 80 by 80 centimetres, this lovely rose produces blooms which smell exactly like Old English Roses. The delicate flowers are show-stopping and romantic, fading from an intensely coloured centre to cream pastel petals. An ideal colour for an indoor rose!
Perle D’Or repeat flowers with no issues throughout the season, provided it gets 6+ hours of sunlight a day. Surprisingly disease resistant, it can do quite well in spaces of varying humidity. It is quite simple when it comes to its needs, making it a foolproof beginner rose with high payoff.
Pour Toi
One of the smallest roses out there, Pour Toi only ever reaches about 30 by 30 centimetres. This makes is spectacularly versatile indoors and easy to combine with multiple roses on your windowsill or in your sunroom. It is not very fragrant, but it sports delectable blooms which have yellow stamens and white petals, quite large in comparison with the rose bush growth.
Exceptionally hardy and resistant, Pour Toi is only iffy on the sunlight. You will have to provide 7+ hours of sunlight, but it tolerates just about any soil, water hardness and fertilising regimen. Keep it on a south-facing window or provide grow lights for optimal blooms.
Peter Pan
Another very tiny rose, Peter Pan grows to about 30 by 30 centimetres and not a touch more! Unlike Pour Toi, it produces deeply rich red flowers with dark yellow stamens. It is repeat-flowering with a sweet and light fragrance. In fact, you can easily combine with with Pour Toi on your windowsill, provided you have enough sunlight. The white petals of Pour Toi and lush red blooms of Peter Pan will allow for a gorgeous indoors interplay of living colour.
Peter Pan requires full sunlight, 8+ hours on the south-facing windowsill or under a grow light are optimal. Luckily, it tolerates just about any soil, so you don’t have to worry about that! It is easily combined with other plants and does not suffer easily from fungal infections.
Stars ‘n’ Stripes
An exceptionally wacky rose, this lovely plant produces blooms which are hot pink to hot red striped with white. A truly unusual sight that you may enjoy throughout the season, as it repeat-blooms prolifically! It tops out at 30 by 30 centimetres in size and is exceptionally stunning for an indoor show of colour, but also rather easy to take care of.
Stars ‘n’ Stripes requires a lot of sunlight, just like the other miniature varieties. However, it is an easy-going specimen which grows great indoors and grows best in pots and containers. With enough light, it will grow to be a true conversation-starter!
Regensberg
Regensberg is another Patio Rose, very similar to Stars ‘n’ Stripes with its bi-coloured habitat. However, it is a bit more muted in its colour palette, boasting deep pink and silver blooms. Regensberg is repeat-flowering and produces simple, but lovely blooms. It tops out at 50 centimetres in height and 60 centimetres in width.
Regensberg can do with a little less sunlight than most roses, as 6 to 7 hours will likely be enough. Still, it should be positioned on a south-facing window. It is disease-resistant and hardy, meaning you shouldn’t have any major problems with diseases if growing it indoors.
Queen Mother
My favourite of all patio roses, the Queen Mother! And what a rose it is – semi-double flowering with starkly yellow stamens against light pink flowers. The contrast is intense and very charming! This is a very popular variety for a reason, and shouldn’t be hard to find as own-root rose. Topping out at 50 by 50 centimetres, it makes a lovely companion to other white and red miniature roses.
Queen Mother is a rather hardy rose and grows exceptionally healthy. The only con is that it needs a full workday of sunlight, 8 hours or more. If you can’t meet that, get some growth lights, as this is a wonderful variety you definitely want sprucing up your living room!
Flower Power
Another one of Patio Roses which makes you thankful to the heavens that roses do well indoors! Flower Power is a true stunner, with peach-orange petals which are so radiant, you’ll mistake it for a garden rose! The small blooms are full-petalled, complex and intricate. It is repeat flowering, topping out at 30 by 30 centimetres. This makes it another great companion to the Pour Toi rose on your windowsill! The medium fragrance might surprise you too, as it will easily emanate across smaller rooms.
Flower Power needs about 7 to 8 hours of sunlight a day, but is happy in just about any soil with enough water and occasional fertilising throughout the season. If you are even thinking about indoors gardening, I guarantee this rose will be the talk of all your guests!
Lavender Jewel
Ever wanted the intricate complexity of an Old English Rose, but on your windowsill. Well, that is Lavender Jewel for you, with blooms so complicated, you’d mistake it for a species rose any day! Often called one of the best Miniatures by many professional rosarians, this small shrub will top out at 50 centimetres height and 30 centimetres in width. Lightly fragrant with pink and lavender petals, this variety is a must for any green thumb’s indoor dwellings!
Lavender Jewel just loves pots and containers and fares better than in gardens! It is one of the easiest roses to grow indoors. Just make sure to provide enough sunlight, 6 to 7 hours a day at least for optimal bloom!
I hope you are ready to grow a miniature rose – they are definitely the easiest kind of roses to grow indoors! As long as you have enough light, these babies are practically fuss-free and incredibly hardy! If you have some space on your balcony, why not read about how to make a perfect balcony rose garden?
