Roses That Climb

Steve Jones, ChairmanProgram Services Committee

2005

All Photos by Steve Jones© ARS, 2005

Roses As Climbers

• Roses are not true climbers

• Roses do not have tendrils to hang on to walls, trellises, etc.

• Prickles (thorns) are not for clinging

• Any large rose can be made into a climber

• Large Flowered Climbers

• Climbing sports

Large Flowered Climbers

• Official American Rose Society classification

• Usually repeat blooming

• Different colors, bloom size, fragrance, and hardiness

• AARS has a test class for climbers

Paul’s Scarlet ClimberOnce bloomer to 12 feet

New DawnGood repeat, winter

hardy, to 12 feet.First rose patent

AltissimoGood repeat bloom, to

10 feet, somewhat winter hardy

Berries N’ CreamGood repeat, very

fragrant, excellent hot weather rose, almost thornless, somewhat

hardy, to 12 feet

Eden (Pierre de Ronsard)

Excellent arbor rose, fairly hardy, grows to

12 feet

Fourth Of JulyAARS winner, to 15 feet, winter hardy, good repeat

bloom

Joseph’s Coat

Grows to 10 feet, somewhat

hardy

Dr. HueyCommon rootstock, somewhat

hardy, to 15 feet

Other Large Flowered Climbers

• Aloha

• America

• Blaze

• Clair Matin

• Dublin Bay

• Golden Showers

• Handel

Ramblers

• Rambler class changed by ARS in 1999

• Now Hybrid Wichuranas or Hybrid Multifloras

• Usually once blooming

• Large climbers, all sizes and shapes

• Ideal for pergolas, ropes, trellises, pillars

• Most are winter hardy

American Pillar

Vigorous, popular in Europe, grows to 25 feet,

winter hardy

Newport FairyVigorous, to 30 feet, fragrant, not winter

hardy

Bobbie JamesVery popular in Europe,

vigorous to 20 feet, fragrant, winter hardy

Chevy ChaseVigorous, to 18

feet, winter hardy

RussellianaMultiflora rambler, very hardy, to 20

feet

Silver MoonVery vigorous, to

30 feet, winter hardy

VioletteVigorous, to 15 feet,

winter hardy

VeilchenblauVigorous, to 15 feet,

almost thornless, somewhat hardy

The GarlandVery vigorous, to 25 feet, winter hardy, very fragrant

Other Ramblers

• Alberic Barbier

• Appleblossom

• Bleu Magenta

• Debutante

• Dorothy Perkins

• Excelsa

• Jersey Beauty

Species

• The original “climbers”

• Most are once blooming

• Some of the largest roses

• Good for pergolas, trees, houses

• Usually are fragrant

• Mixed hardiness, most are hardy

Rosa mulliganiiVigorous, to 25 feet,

very fragrant

Rosa banksiae lutea“Lady Banks”, vigorous, to

35 feet, white version largest rose in world, not

winter hardy

Rosa moschata“Musk Rose”, very

vigorous and fragrant, to 18 feet

Rosa multiflora carneaVery vigorous, to 35 feet,

winter hardy

Rosa multifloraVery vigorous,

naturalized in US, to 15 feet, fragrant,

common rootstock

Rosa roxburghii“Chestnut Rose”, vigorous,

to 15 feet, naturalized in US, winter hardy

Other Species

• Kiftsgate

• Rosa eglanteria

• Rosa hugonis “Father Hugo’s Rose”

• Rosa laevigata “Cherokee Rose”

• Rosa moyesii

• Rosa soulieana

• Rosa wichurana

Old Garden Roses

• Wide range of sizes and colors

• Some repeat bloomers

• Some large bushes, can be made into climbers

• Most are fragrant

• Been around for 100s of years

Reine des Violettes

Very fragrant Hybrid Perpetual, grows to 12 feet, somewhat

hardy

MermaidVery vigorous, to 30 feet,

repeat bloom, fragrant, wicked thorns, not winter hardy

Louise OdierLarge Bourbon rose, to 12 feet as climber,

repeat bloom, not winter hardy

Stanwell PerpetualLarge Hybrid Spinosissima, can be trained as climber to

15 feet, fragrant, winter hardy

SombreuilClimbing Tea,

vigorous, to 20 feet, fragrant, top show

rose, repeat blooms, somewhat winter

hardy

Zephirine DrouhinClimbing Bourbon, to 12

feet, very fragrant, almost thornless, not

winter hardy

Other Old Garden Roses

• Baronne Prevost

• Hugh Dickson

• Mme Hardy

• Mme Isaac Pereire

• Mme Pierre Oger

• Reine Victoria

• Ulrich Brunner

Noisettes

• Climbers from 8-20+ feet• Good repeat bloom, especially in fall• Some fragrant, generally mild• Most are not winter hardy, but can be

grown in cold areas with protection• Lots of colors, blooms in clusters, small or

large blooms• Only class created in United States

Celine ForestierPopular Noisette, to 12 feet

Alister Stella Gray

Grows to 18 feet

Mme Alfred CarriereOne of the shorter

Noisettes, to 10 feet, good pillar rose

Aimee VibertLax growing Noisette to 12 feet

NastaranaShort Noisette, to 8 feet, very

fragrant

CrepusculeGrows to 12 feet

Other Noisettes

• Blush Noisette

• Champneys Pink Cluster

• Jaune Deprez

• Jeanne d’Arc

• Lamarque

• Marechal Neil

• Reve d’Or

Hybrid Musks

• Good repeat bloom, especially in fall

• Good fragrance

• Most are winter hardy

• Usually blooms in small clusters

• Blooms small to large

• Wide color range

Nur MahalVigorous, to 12 feet, fragrant

MoonlightVigorous, to 12

feet, very fragrant

PenelopeVigorous, to 15

feet, very fragrant

Will ScarlettVigorous, to 12 feet,

fragrant

LavenderLassie

Very vigorous, to 20 feet, fragrant

KathleenGrows to 12 feet, fragrant

SkyrocketOne of the shorter Hybrid Musks, to 8 feet

Other Hybrid Musks

• Buff Beauty

• Cornelia

• Danae

• Nymphenburg

• Prosperity

• Secret Garden

• Vanity

Shrubs - Other

• Most shrubs can be made into a climber

• Full list of colors, shapes, sizes

• Most are winter hardy

• Most have good repeat bloom

• Most versatile of all roses

Sally HolmesLarge shrub or 12 foot

climber, popular climber, top show rose, good repeat

bloom, winter hardy

FlutterbyeVigorous, to 12 feet, good repeat bloom

AlchymistLarge, to 20 feet, once

bloomer, fragrant

Royal PageantHarkness Shrub, small climber to 10 feet,

fragrant

MontecitoVery vigorous, to 50 feet, large blooms,

once bloomer

Sea FoamVery vigorous, to

15 feet, repeat bloom

DortmundKordesii, to 10 feet, very winter hardy

Constance SpryFirst Austin England Rose, to 15 feet,

once bloomer

EvelynOne of the largest English Roses, to

12 feet, very fragrant

Other Shrubs

• Belinda’s Dream

• Golden Wings

• Graham Thomas

• John Cabot

• Leander

• Nevada

• William Baffin

Other Climbing Sports

• Most are genetic sports of bush counterparts

• The climbing sports of most roses do not repeat well, typically 1-2 flushes per year

• Some climbing roses do not have bush counterparts, such as Aloha and High Noon

• Blooms generally like the bush counterpart

• Many different color sports

Cl. Cecile Brunner

Cl. Souvenir de la Malmaison

Climbing Bourbon, to 15 feet, fragrant, repeat

blooms, not winter hardy

Cl. Pinkie

Cl. Iceberg

Cl. Perle des JardinsClimbing Tea rose, to 15 feet, not

winter hardy

Climbing Miniature Roses

• Just like large climbers, but smaller in all dimensions

• Can be as tall as small climbers

• Good repeat bloom

• Some winter hardy

• Great for pillars, arches

Candy CaneGrows to 7 feet,

an older Miniature Climber

Jeanne LajoieGrows to 12 feet, a popular Miniature

Climber

Hi HoGrows to 8 feet

Red CascadeGrows to 6 feet, great as a groundcover

The End

An Official ARS Program