Cherokee rose is a woody, deciduous, sprawling shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae) that is native to central and southern China to Vietnam and Taiwan. It was brought to the United States during colonial times and cultivated by the Cherokee. This vigorous fast growing vine will grow 15-33 feet tall and scramble over shrubs and trees for support. Plant it in full sun to partial shade and moist soil. Water deeply and regularly. A summer application of mulch helps retain moisture. Cherokee rose tolerates a wide range of soil types, even poor soil. The best flowering and disease resistance occurs in full sun. While it is typically grown as a climber, it can be pruned into a 6-foot shrub. Pruning should be accomplished in the late winter. The canes have numerous hooked prickles, glossy dark green leaves, and showy fragrant 2-4 inch single white flowers with yellow stamens that attract butterflies. Rose hips will follow. A rock wall or other vertical space in a butterfly or pollinator garden is an ideal location for this climbing rose. Cherokee rose may spread aggressively in the southeastern United States and is listed as invasive in some. Please choose less aggressive rose vines. See a few options listed to the left. 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. See pests of roses to the left. Deer will browse roses. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
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.
Similar, less problematicJasminum officinaleRosa Climbing Rainbow 's End ' Savaclend'Rosa Tess of the d 'Urbervilles ' AUSmove'Rosa The Pilgrim® 'AUSwalker'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Rose; Shrub; Vine
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 33 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Climbing; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Dark green, glossy trifoliate leaves with toothed margins
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Large (3-4 inches), fragrant, single blooms in spring; does not repeat; 5 petals white petals with yellow stamens bloom for weeks in the spring.