Memorial Rose Rosa wichuraiana
Previously known as:
- Rosa luciae
- Rosa luciae var. wichuraiana
- Phonetic Spelling
- ROH-sah wih-cher-ai-AH-nah
- Description
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Memorial rose is a vigorous vining shrub or groundcover in the Roseaceae (rose) family native to the eastern part of Asia. It is found in lowlands and mountain areas as well as near coastal areas and forms dense thickets. The name is derived from Max Ernst Wichura (1817-1866) a German botanist.
Growing quickly to 16 feet tall and wide this semi-evergreen trailing vine does not produce a solid cover but it can produce a barrier or scramble up large trees or other structures. The leaves are dark green and shiny and showy fragrant white flowers appear in the summer followed by dark red rose hips. The flowers are visited by bees.
Plant in the full fun to partial shade in well drained soil. This plant can withstand heavy clay soils but does not like wet feet. It is resistant to mildew and so was used as the parent for many cultivars.
Use this plant in a coastal garden, in a cutting garden, massed at the edge of a woodland, train it up a vertical space to provide a screen or cause it as a security plant.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Honey fungus is an occassional disease problem.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rosa
- Species:
- wichuraiana
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Traditionally, each color of the rose symbolizes a certain value. Red symbolizes love, yellow symbolizes friendship, orange symbolizes enthusiasm, white symbolizes purity, and pink symbolizes joy.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Mildew
- Climbing Method:
- Scrambler
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 16 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Shrub
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Prickles
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Description:
- Seed is in the form of small dark red hip.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Large showy white fragrant flowers appear in the spring.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Shape:
- Orbicular
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Rounded to broadly edged shiny dark green leaves 2" to 4" long with 7 to 9 oval to orbicular, coarsely toothed leaflets each 1/4" to 1" long. Rachis armed with curved prickles.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems covered in irregular 1/4" long curved prickles.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Recreational Play Area
- Vertical Spaces
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Mass Planting
- Security
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
