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Chinese Many-Flowered Rose

Rosa multiflora (RO-zuh mull-tee-FLO-rah ka-thay-EN-sis)

Family: Rosaceae Non-native Vine (vertical)

Chinese many-flowered rose is a large, vigorous, rambling, multi-stemmed, deciduous woody plant in the rose family (Rosaceae) that is native to China. It can grow as a shrub or be trained as a climber, reaching 8 to 20 feet tall and 5 to 10 feet wide. This rose prefers sandy or loamy soil that is occasionally dry to moist and well-drained. It tolerates an acidic to neutral soil pH and a site that receives full sun to partial shade. However, too much shade will limit flowering. Prune as needed when the plant is dormant. Layering or stem cuttings are methods for propagation. Aptly named, this rose blooms once during the year in summer and is covered in clusters of light pink or white, single, fragrant flowers that are followed by small rose hips. Essential oi can be extracted from the flowers. Chinese many-flowered rose can form thickets, so consider planting it in a naturalized area, or on a slope or stream bank to prevent soil erosion. It can be trained to climb a vertical space or structure such as a privacy screen and is a good addition to Asian, cottage or cutting gardens. Note that the stems are prickly. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : Beetles, thrips, rose aphids and spider mites. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 57 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 6 - Vine (vertical) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

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 niche Rosa America™ 'JACclam' Rosa 'City of York' Rosa 'Meg'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Rose
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Climbing; Multi-stemmed; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The compound green leaves have 7-9 ovate leaflets with serrated margins. Leaflets are 1-2 inches long and usually have hairs on the undersides.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Corymb
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Many clusters appear of 1.5-inch wide single light pink flowers with 5 petals and a mild fragrance.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Orangish red to brown rose hips are 1/4 inch in size
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
stiff dark green with prickles
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Drupe

Uses (ethnobotany)

Tannin from the roots is used for tanning. Essential oils can be extracted from the flowers.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Slope/Bank; Vertical Spaces
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden
Design feature
Accent; Screen/Privacy
Garden tags
#deciduous shrub #summer flowers #trellis #climbing rose #fragrant flowers #pink flowers #vigorous #privacy #erosion control #prickles #cutting garden #screen #vertical spaces
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Pests of Rose
Problems
Spines/Thorns
Propagation
Layering; Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.