Introduced:   1759
Class:  Species
Zones:  4-10
Flowers:  White; five petals
Size:  to 15 feet
Fragrance:  Good
Of note:  Tolerant of tough growing conditions.

The 'Cherokee Rose' is the State Flower of Georgia, my home, so it is understandable that this rose is close to my heart. However, it is not native to Georgia, having been naturalized from it's original home in China. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful rose with a good story surrounding its introduction.

The story starts with the Trail of Tears, the forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation from Georgia to Oklahoma. As the legend goes, every time a tear hit the ground, a rose, the 'Cherokee Rose', grew in that place. Certainly, it is a moving tale, but there is more to the story. Nurseryman Thomas Affleck sold huge numbers of Rosa laevigata to large homesteads and plantations, recommending the rose as a hedge. The 'Cherokee Rose' naturalized successfully and is now a common sight blooming in the South during spring.

The 'Cherokee Rose' is often confused with Rosa bracteata (Macartney Rose) which is similar in form, but is so prolific that its rampant growth places it in the category of pest. 'Macartney Rose' flowers in summer, while the Cherokee Rose flowers in spring.   'Mermaid', a hybrid of the 'Macartney Rose' has beautiful yellow flowers on a plant which, while still aggressive, does not have the suckering habit of its parent.

The 'Cherokee Rose' is a climber which blooms once a year, bearing large, white flowers, each with five petals. It is vigorous, climbing upwards of 20 feet. Make sure that you have plenty of room for this historic, yet non-native and thankfully, non-invasive rose.