Rosa

Common Name(s):

Rose
Roses

Phonetic Spelling

RO-zuh

Description

Roses are woody, deciduous, perennial shrubs or vines in the rose family (Rosaceae). They are native to the temperate and subtropical Northern Hemisphere, including North America Europe, and Asia, and grow 1 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 6 feet wide depending upon the cultivar, species, or hybrid, of which there are a great many. There are roses that climb (ramblers or climbers), spread, or stand upright.

Roses require full sun and organically rich, well-drained, acidic to neutral soils. Roses are heat and frost tolerant. Deadhead the blooms as they fade but stop at summer’s end so the plants can start their hardening process before winter. Allowing some fruits to form is beneficial to wildlife, as many birds and small mammals feed on rose hips. Most roses require yearly pruning in late winter. Look here for a guide to pruning roses. Grafting is the best propagation strategy.

Roses have flower parts in multiples of five. The sharp structures on the stems are prickles, not true thorns, and they can vary in size and abundance from species to species.

Hybrid Tea Roses are generally grown for their large, fragrant, solitary blooms. Floribunda roses bear clusters of small flowers; miniature roses bear small flowers on dwarf plants. Grow roses in cottage or cutting gardens, or use them at the back of a border. Using larger, pricklier species as hedges can provide some security. Climbing roses can accentuate vertical spaces in the landscape. Miniature roses work well in containers. More fragrant selections do well to be situated near a patio or walkway where their scent can be enjoyed. Rose hips can be used to make jellies, jams, and tea.

Quick ID Hints:

Flower parts are in multiples of five (for example, sepals, petals, stamen, and pistils)
Stems usually have prickles
Leaves are alternate and margins are serrate
Flowers in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, or white
Flowers are often fragrant
Fruits are called hips (but the true fruits are the hard achenes inside the hips)

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Fuller rose beetles, Japanese beetles, rose chafer, rose thrips, southern red mites, and two spotted mites are pest problems for roses. Disease problems include botrytis, blights, powdery mildew, leaf spots, and anthracnose.

The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common rose diseases as well as a factsheet on insects and other related pests.

VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.

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Cultivars / Varieties:

'Abraham Darby'

Can be grown as a climber (10 feet); hardy; large thorns; long, arching stems; shiny, leathery green leaves

'Alain Blanchard'

Flowers are crimson with pink and purple mottling and a strong fragrance

'America'
Climbing rose with dark green leathery leaves, lovely salmon-pink with lighter reverse fully double blooms

'AUSbloom'

Dark red flowers with an old rose fragrance

'AUSblush'

Rich pink tones in medium sized blooms

'AUSboard'

Deep rose/pink blooms

'AUSca'

Pure white petals with a strong myrrh fragrance

'AUScat'

White flowers with a honey-almond fragrance

'AUShero'
Medium pink double blooms

'AUSlea'

Apricot flowers

'AUSleap' SWEET JULIET®

Double apricot-pink blooms

'AUSlilac'

Double pink flowers with a touch of lilac

'AUSman'

Double, fragrant, rose-pink flowers

'AUSmary'

Double pink blooms

'AUSmas'

Large, intensely fragrant, bright yellow double blooms

'AUSperd'

Cream to apricot blooms with a darker center and spice fragrance

'AUSreef'

Pink blooms transitioning to a creamy-white towards the outer petals with an old rose, myrrh along with a fruity scent

'AUSrush'

White to soft lemon-yellow petals and bright yellow stamens

'AUStamora'

Apricot peach blooms

'AUSwalker'

Yellow with cream to white outer petals

'Autumn Sunset'

Rich apricot and golden yellow blooms with a strong fruity scent

'Awakening'

Light pink blooms

'Beauty Secret'

Miniature rose with petite vibrant red flowers

'Belinda's Dream'

Shrub rose with large, fragrant and double pink flowers

'Belle de Baltimore'

Climbing rose with light pink and white double blooms

'Belle de Londres'

Climbing rose with large, double flowers in a blend of apricot, copper and gold

'Belle Poitevine'
Magenta pink blooms

'BENblack'

Miniature climbing rose with double black-red blooms

'Bloomfield Courage'

Climbing rose with small single dark velvety red blooms with a white eye

'Bobbie James'

Vigorous rambler with fragrant, white, semi-double flowers in large clusters

'BRlace'
Very fragrant

'BUCbi'

Pink blooms

'Cecile Brunner'

Climbing rose with profuse light pink blooms

'Celestial'

Shell pink blooms with a strong fragrance

'Champlain'

Dark velvety red petals

'Champney's Pink Cluster'

Contains clusters of small, light pink, double flowers with a sweet fragrance

'Chevy Chase'

Climbing rose with large clusters of small, double blooms of rich deep crimson

'CHEWily'
Numerous pink blooms

'ChewPatout'

Red, semi-double flowers with a crown of lush yellow stamens in the center

'Christine Wright'

Climbing rose with semi-double to double rose-pink blooms and a light fragrance

'City of York'

Vigorous climber with white flowers with yellow stamens

'Climbing Pinkie'

Climbing rose with medium pink, semi-double blossoms with light fragrance

'Cornelia'

Very fragrant, rosette-shaped flowers, opening coppery-apricot and gradually fading to coppery-pink

'Country Dancer'

Large, fragrant blossoms with a deep pink color

'Dainty Bess'

Light pink blooms with salmon shades and red-yellow stamens

'DELmur'

Climbing rose with blood-red single flowers

‘Desdemona’

'DEVrudi'

Light to deep pink flowers, only slightly fragrant

'Don Juan'

Climbing rose with large, rich, dark velvety-red, double blooms with a wonderful tea/fruity fragrance

'Dortmund'

Bright red with white center, single flat flowers produced in clusters

'Dr. W. van Fleet'

Large, fragrant, pale pink flowers

'Easy Going'

Deep apricot pink blooms fading to delicate pink champagne

'Echo'
Blended pink blooms that fade to white

'Excelsa'

Climbing rose with clusters of cascading flowers, varying in color from magenta-pink to light red to almost purple

'Fantin-Latour'

Clusters of pale pink flowers

'Felicite Parmentier Alba'

Large many-petaled creamy pink blooms

'F. J. Grootendorst'

Large clusters of deep red/burgundy small flowers

'F. K. Druschki'

Large, white double blooms with pink tinted buds

'Frau Dagmar Hastrup'

Large pink blooms are followed by large red hips; don't deadhead

'Garden Party'
Cream and yellow blend flowers

'Golden Showers'

Climbing rose with large yellow semi-double blooms

'Golden Wings'

Fragrant yellow blooms and orange stamens

'Great Maiden's Blush'
Double white to pink blush flowers

'Green Ice'

Soft pink buds open into fully double blooms of soft, cool green to white

'Gros Choux d' Hollande

Small clusters of very double fragrant pink flowers

'Hansa'

Very fragrant large purple-pink double blooms

'HARquantum'

Clusters of lightly fragrant cupped, mauve to reddish-purple flowers with yellow centers

'HARwanted'

Blush pink semi-double blooms

'Henry Hudson'
Pink buds open to white semi-double blooms

'Hermosa'

Double soft lavender-pink flowers

'Inspiration'

Climbing rose with pink semi-double blooms

'INTerdust'
Ground cover rose with yellow blooms

'INTerlada'
Large pink single flowers

'INTerlav'

Ground cover rose with large clusters of small lavender-pink semi-double flowers

'Ispahan'

Very full old-fashioned pink flowers with dark pink centers in clusters that are deeply fragrant

'JACarch'

Double white, fragrant blooms

'JACbow'

Unusual camel tan blushing to lavender coloring blossoms

'JAChal'

Miniature rose with double yellow blooms with a spicy scent

'JACiraps'
Miniature rose with bright pink and white, bicolor flowers

'JAClover'

Ground cover rose with semi-double pink to mauve flowers

'JACpoy'

Miniature rose containing flowers in a yellow-orange blend changing to yellow-pink, fading to pink and white blend

'Jeanne Lajoie'

Miniature climbing rose with abundant 2-inch double pink blooms

'John Davis'
Climbing rose with fully double pink blooms with yellow centers and a spice fragrance

'Joseph's Coat'

Vigorous climbing rose with multi-hued large blooms that have a nice fragrance

'Judy Fischer'

Miniature rose with deep pink double blooms

'Juno'

Large, full, light pink blooms

'Katherine Morley'

Clusters of large pink blooms give off a sweet scent

'KORconta'

Tall ground cover rose with white blossoms with a yellow center, single-petaled and loosely cupped

'KORfullwind'

Ground cover rose with small double blooms in clusters

'KORgoas'

Mildly scented, single blooms deep red/burgundy in color

'KORtemma'

Ground cover rose with crimson red blossoms and yellow stamens

'KORturek'

Climbing tea rose with single, white, lightly scented flowers

'KORwest'

Apricot-copper and orange blend flowers with ruffled petals, fading to pink

'Lady of Shalott'

Repeating large blooms that have shades of salmon, red, pink, yellow, gold, and orange

'Lawrence Johnston'

Strong climbing rose with fragrant yellow flowers

'Leda'

Clusters of white blooms on compact plant

'Loving Touch'
Miniature rose with deep apricot double blooms which are fragrant

'MACcarpe'

Miniature rose with tiny, clear white flowers and a tea fragrance

'MACdub'

Climbing rose with bright red clusters of semi-double flowers

'MACha'

Climbing rose with creamy white blossoms with rose-pink blushing

'Madame Hardy'

Very double soft white flowers with a green button eye and wonderful fragrance

'Madame Isaac Pereire'

Vigorous climber with purplish blooms with a strong raspberry fragrance

'Mary Wallace'

Vigorous climber with clusters of rose-pink blooms

'Meg'

Climbing rose with salmon-apricot flowers, pink buds and red stamens

'Meizeli'

Extremely fragrant pink flowers

'MELbarke'
Ivory petals with red edges

'MELbonrib'

Ground cover with clusters of double pink flowers and Lily of the Valley fragrance

'MELcoublan'
Vigorous mounding rose with large double white blooms

'MELcupag'
Ground cover rose with deep yellow blooms

'MELdomonac'
Medium pink clusters of small double blooms

'MELdrifora'

Ground cover rose with clusters of small, solitary coral colored blooms

'MELgali'

Bright scarlet orange flowers

'MELgekanu'

Dense cluster of double blooms

'Mellmera'
Miniature rose with long-lasting white blooms

'MELmodac'

Deep pink clusters of up to 20 large, double blooms

'MELmont'

Medium pink clusters of medium sized, semi-double blooms with a flattened cup shape and gold stamens

'MELpitac'

Medium pink with creamy white to pink reverse

'MElpotal'

Dark carmine pink with white eye and yellow stamens

'MELpsidue'
Fire engine red semi-double blooms in clusters

'MELtonie'

Miniature rose with pink blooms with yellow stamens

'Mermaid'

Climbing rose with pale yellow blooms with yellow stamens;

'MOORcap'

Ground cover or climbing rose with blood red blossoms

'MOORcar'

Miniature rose with creamy yellow blooms and fuchsia pink edges

'MORpapplay'

Can be used as ground cover, rose with orange-red blooms with yellow-orange reverse with yellow eye and yellow stamens

'MORten'

Crimson red blossoms with lighter red reverse and yellow stamens; will climb if trained

'Mr. Lincoln'
Deep red flowers

'Mundi'

Semi-double blooms in summer

'Mutabilis'
Multi-colored blooms in spring and fall (plus tolerates poor soil, partial shade, and high humidity)

'Navada'

White flowers with gold center stamens are single to semi-double

'Nearly Wild'

Ground cover rose with rose-pink single small flowers

'New Dawn'

Light pink climbing rose cultivar with good disease resistance

'NOAla'

Ground cover rose with bright pinky coral clusters of blooms with golden stamens which darken to reddish coral with age

'NOAschnee'
White/cream, small semi-double blooms (plus drought, heat, and road salt resistant)

'Nympenberg'

Apricot buds open to orange-salmon-pink flowers with orange-yellow base; strong green apple fragrance

'Old Blush'

Can be trained as a short climber, contains silvery-pink flowers that darken as they age

'Orange Honey'

Miniature rose with orange small double blooms

'Paul Neyron'

Blooms are a warm rose flushed with lilac

'Peace'
Blend of pastel yellow and pink flower

'Penelope'

Light blush to shell pink flowers with a musk fragrance

'Pink Grootendoorst'

Pink, double blooms with fringed petals

'POULbero'

Deep coral orange flowers with touches of gold on the reverse; lightly spicy fragrance

'POULclimb'
Vigorous climber with pink and cream blooms

'POULnoz'
Ground cover rose with a blend of dark pink flowers

'Prosperity'

Pink tinted buds with creamy white large semi-double flowers in large sprays

'Purple Pavement'

Magenta and light crimson with large, open semi-double blooms with yellow stamens

'Radral'

Solitary, double, orange/coral/pink flowers with profuse blooming

'Radtreasure'

Bright pink to salmon blooms in summer/ fall (plus resistant to disease, pollution, and urban conditions))

'Red Fountain'

Up to 14 feet tall shrub with red double flowers

'Rene Andre'
Deep saffron red buds become orange to shrimp pink flowers with bright saffron at tip, aging to white

'Rhonda'

Mid-pink with coral 4-5 inch blooms of 30 petals

'Robin Hood'
Cherry red flowers deepening with age with a slight musk scent

Rosa 'Radrazz'
Cherry-red blooms; chosen in 2000 as an All-America Rose Award winner

Rosa x centifolia

Light rosy pink/ lilac blooms in summer

Rosa x 'Fortuniena'

Creamy-white blooms in late spring/early summer

Rosa x 'Meiviolin' (Eden Climber® Rose)

Trellis climber

'Royal Sunset'

Trellis climber, it has deep apricot to yellow pink blend blooms with orange buds

'Salet'

Clear rose pink, large flat double blooms that deepen in cool weather

'Sally Holmes'

Buff to creamy white with gold stamens, can be grown as a climber if properly staked

'SAVabeg'
Miniature rose with bicolored orange and yellow flowers that bloom in clusters

'SAVachild'

Miniature rose with creamy pink blended flowers; can be used as a ground cover

'SAVahowdy'

Miniature rose with light pink blooms with darker pink tips and yellow base

'SAValife'
Miniature climbing rose with bright yellow flowers edged with red

'Seafoam'

Creamy white clusters of pompom-like flowers; can be used as a ground cover or climber

'Silver Moon'

Climbing rose with white, large, loose, single flowers with golden stamens with a light apple scent

'Sombreuil'

Climbing rose with large, double, white globular blooms with a flattish shape

'Souvenir de la Malmaison'

Pale pink, large, double flowers

'SPIcup'

Miniature pink rose, blooming in late spring to early fall

'TANbeedee'
Mid-pink, semi-double flowers in very large clusters

'TANprik'

Semi-double red flowers (2-3 feet shrub)

'Tess of the d'Urbervilles'

Large, fragrant flowers crimson-magenta in color

'The Fairy'

Small, double pink blooms in summer/fall

'The Garland'
Vigorous climber with creamy white blushed with pink masses of small semi-double flowers

'The Generous Gardener'

Pink flowers can be trained to grow on trellises

'Thelma'
Coral semi-double to double blooms and mildew resistant

'Therese Bugnet'

Light pink buds, fuchsia-red clusters of large, double blooms fading to pink

'Tropicana'
Orange blend flowers

'TWOadvance'

Sunset-salmon flowers

'Vanity'

Deep pink blooms with a musk scent

'WEKamanda'

Yellow petals that take on a slight greenish hue as they age

'WEKcatlart'
Miniature rose with scarlet orange blooms with white eye; mild apple fragrance

'WEKcifrabaun'

Large scarlet flowers with pink overtones and gold centers that intensifies as the flowers age

'WEKdykstra'

Purplish crimson blooms with a white center and gold stamens

'WEKroalt'

Climbing rose with red and white blooms that smell of apple

'WEKstephitsu'

Clusters of magenta flowers swirled with gold that will age to a lavender blue

'WEKvossutono'

Buttery yellow fully double flowers with a licorice-clove scent

'WEKzazette'

Bright red petals are dark yellow on the reverse side

'WEOpop'

Miniature rose with clear white tiny semi-double flowers in large clusters

'Wollerton Old Hall'

Fragrant, does not have many thorns, and has cream blooms

'Yesterday'

Tiny rose red to lavender-pink semi-double flowers

'Zephirine Drouhin'

Cerise pink clusters of loosely cupped and semi-double blooms

'Abraham Darby', 'Alain Blanchard', 'America', 'AUSbloom', 'AUSblush', 'AUSboard', 'AUSca', 'AUScat', 'AUShero', 'AUSlea', 'AUSleap' SWEET JULIET®, 'AUSlilac', 'AUSman', 'AUSmary', 'AUSmas', 'AUSperd', 'AUSreef', 'AUSrush', 'AUStamora', 'AUSwalker', 'Autumn Sunset', 'Awakening', 'Beauty Secret', 'Belinda's Dream', 'Belle de Baltimore', 'Belle de Londres', 'Belle Poitevine', 'BENblack', 'Bloomfield Courage', 'Bobbie James', 'BRlace', 'BUCbi', 'Cecile Brunner', 'Celestial', 'Champlain', 'Champney's Pink Cluster', 'Chevy Chase', 'CHEWily', 'ChewPatout', 'Christine Wright', 'City of York', 'Climbing Pinkie', 'Cornelia', 'Country Dancer', 'Dainty Bess', 'DELmur', ‘Desdemona’, 'DEVrudi', 'Don Juan', 'Dortmund', 'Dr. W. van Fleet', 'Easy Going', 'Echo', 'Excelsa', 'Fantin-Latour', 'Felicite Parmentier Alba', 'F. J. Grootendorst', 'F. K. Druschki', 'Flower Carpet Appleblossom', 'Flower Carpet Red', 'Frau Dagmar Hastrup', 'Garden Party', 'Golden Showers', 'Golden Wings', 'Great Maiden's Blush', 'Green Ice', 'Gros Choux d' Hollande, 'Hansa', 'HARquantum', 'HARwanted', 'Henry Hudson', 'Hermosa', 'Inspiration', 'INTerdust', 'INTerlada', 'INTerlav', 'Ispahan', 'JACarch', 'JACbow', 'JAChal', 'JACiraps', 'JAClover', 'JACpoy', 'JACpursh', 'JACsimpl', 'JACsnow', 'Jeanne Lajoie', 'John Davis', 'Joseph's Coat', 'Judy Fischer', 'Juno', 'Katherine Morley', 'KORconta', 'KORfullwind', 'KORgoas', 'KORtemma', 'KORturek', 'KORwest', 'Lady of Shalott', 'Lawrence Johnston', 'Leda', 'Loving Touch', 'MACcarpe', 'MACdub', 'MACha', 'Madame Hardy', 'Madame Isaac Pereire', 'Mary Wallace', 'Meg', 'Meizeli', 'MELbarke', 'MELbonrib', 'MELcoublan', 'MELcupag', 'MELdomonac', 'MELdrifora', 'MELgali', 'MELgekanu', 'Mellmera', 'MELmodac', 'MELmont', 'MELpitac', 'MElpotal', 'MELpsidue', 'MELtonie', 'Mermaid', 'MOORcap', 'MOORcar', 'MORpapplay', 'MORten', 'Mr. Lincoln', 'Mundi', 'Mutabilis', 'Navada', 'Nearly Wild', 'New Dawn', 'NOAla', 'NOAschnee', 'Nympenberg', 'Old Blush', 'Orange Honey', 'Paul Neyron', 'Peace', 'Penelope', 'Pink Grootendoorst', 'POULbero', 'POULclimb', 'POULnoz', 'Prosperity', 'Purple Pavement', 'Radral', 'Radtreasure', 'Red Fountain', 'Rene Andre', 'Rhonda', 'Robin Hood', Rosa 'Radrazz', Rosa x centifolia, Rosa x 'Fortuniena', Rosa x 'Meiviolin' (Eden Climber® Rose), 'Royal Sunset', 'Salet', 'Sally Holmes', 'SAVabeg', 'SAVachild', 'SAVahowdy', 'SAValife', 'Seafoam', 'Silver Moon', 'Sombreuil', 'Souvenir de la Malmaison', 'SPIcup', 'TANbeedee', 'TANprik', 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles', 'The Fairy', 'The Garland', 'The Generous Gardener', 'Thelma', 'Therese Bugnet', 'Tropicana', 'TWOadvance', 'Vanity', 'WEKamanda', 'WEKcatlart', 'WEKcifrabaun', 'WEKdykstra', 'WEKroalt', 'WEKstephitsu', 'WEKvossutono', 'WEKzazette', 'WEOpop', 'Wollerton Old Hall', 'Yesterday', 'Zephirine Drouhin'

Tags:

#showy flowers #fragrant flowers #heat tolerant #rose #tsc #cottage garden #security plant #high maintenance #rose shrub #English garden #cutting garden #border back #walkway planting #tsc-s #bee friendly #container plant #patio #hedge #prickles #cpp #hs303

Rosa — 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' Flower Detail (Cabarrus County,NC) Hope Duckworth CC BY 4.0

Prickles and bark (about 15 year old rose) Emily's Gardening by Design CC BY 4.0

Prickles, hip, bark, and leaves (about 15 year old rose) Emily's Gardening by Design CC BY 4.0

Newer leaves are red; some leaves have spots on them Emily's Gardening by Design CC BY 4.0

Buds after bloom (with petals falling off) Emily's Gardening by Design CC BY 4.0

Flower if 'Mr. Lincoln' Salicyna CC BY-SA 4.0