Know rose type before pruning

Roses are never pretty after the winter, and this year is particularly gruesome. Many canes are bent and broken, and the matted-down plants are a sorry-looking sight.

The good news is that most roses won't have as much winterkill as in previous years because they were insulated from harsh temperatures by snow.

But now that the snow has melted, it's time to take stock of your plants and get the roses back into shape. Before you wade in with pruners blazing, however, take a moment to brush up on your rose anatomy because the type of rose dictates how and when to prune.

Hybrid teas are the most widely grown roses. They produce showy blooms throughout the season. Plants grow 2-5 feet high depending on cultural conditions and pruning techniques.

Their buds are long and pointed with single flowers or clusters of three to five flowers per stem. They make excellent ornamental or cut flowers. They are not completely hardy and usually need the most pruning in the spring.

Floribunda roses are similar in size, shape and color, but the flowers grow in clusters with short stems. Floribunda roses are more hardy, so they will likely show less winter damage. The disease-resistant, low growing shrubs are used in beds where many flowers are desired.

Grandiflora roses are the offspring of hybrid tea roses. These flowers are borne singly or in clusters on longer stems, and the flowers resemble hybrid teas. They are larger than hybrid teas and grow 3-6 feet tall. Look for winterkill on upper branches that weren't covered by the snow.

Miniature roses are tiny versions of various roses. Miniatures grow less than 2 feet high and are popular specimen or border plants. Because the plants are small, they may show severe breakdown and damage depending on the weight of the snow.

Shrub roses are hardy, spreading plants that require little maintenance. Varieties grow 4-12 feet tall with many canes and thick foliage. These might be lying down or broken, but the canes likely show little winter damage because the plants are quite cold-hardy. Some flower once in the spring while others flower continuously.

Heritage roses — or old roses — are those grown prior to 1867. There are many different plant and flower forms. In most cases these are hardy, drought-tolerant and pest-resistant. They bloom only in the spring and don't need to be pruned severely.