Hero is a hybrid shrub rose in the rose family (Rosaceae) and another English rose bred by David Austin, released in 1982. Parentage is The Prioress × Unnamed Seedling. This shrub will grow 3-6 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide and could be trained to climb. Grow in full sun in amended well-drained moist soil. Prune late winter to early spring. The cupped 4-5 inch wide medium pink flowers have 26-40 petals and a strong myrrh scent. They bloom in clusters and repeat blooms from summer to fall. Stems are nearly prickle-free. Use this shrub as a specimen, in the border, as a hedge or train to a trellis. Works well for a cottage, cutting or an English garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for powdery mildew, rust and black spot. See pests of roses to the left. Deer will browse roses. More information on Rosa .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheRosa Gertrude Jekyll® 'AUSboard'Rosa Sharifa Asma® 'AUSreef'Rosa The Countryman 'AUSman'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Rose; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Hairs present
No
Flower color
Pink
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
4-5 inch wide cupped pink flowers with 26-40 petals and a strong myrrh scent. Appear in clusters. Repeat blooms from summer to fall
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Stem detail
Stems are nearly prickle-free
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Landscape Use
Garden tags
#non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #English garden #climber #cutting garden #small groups #specimen #hedge #pink flowers #cottage garden #fragrant flowers #repeat flowering #shrub rose