Memorial rose is a woody, vigorous, semi-evergreen, scrambling vine, shrub, or groundcover in the rose family (Rosaceae) and native to the eastern part of Asia. It is found in lowlands and mountain areas as well as near coastal areas, where it forms dense thickets. This species has naturalized in eastern North America. Plant memorial rose in full sun and in moist, well-drained soil. It can withstand clay soil but does not like wet feet. It is disease- and mildew-resistant and has been used as the parent for many hybrid cultivars. The leaves are dark green and shiny. Showy, fragrant, white flowers appear in the summer followed by dark red rose hips. The flowers are visited by bees. Growing 1 to 16 feet tall and spreading 6 to 15 feet wide, this rose does not produce a solid cover, but it can produce a barrier as it scrambles up large trees or other vertical structures. It is classified as a rambler rose. Other uses for this rose are mass planted in a coastal garden, a recreational play area, or a woodland. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Honey fungus is an occasional disease problem. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. 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.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 16 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf shape
Orbicular; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
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.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Showy
Flower detail
Large showy white fragrant flowers appear in the spring.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit detail
Seed is in the form of small dark red hip.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Stems covered in irregular 1/4" long curved prickles.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia
Distribution
Eastern North America.
Attracts
Bees
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
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.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Recreational Play Area; Vertical Spaces; Woodland