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Climber Wall ShrubRoses

Rosa cymosa
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

A large, strong-growing, climber or scrambling rose to 5m tall, with bright red young shoots, few thorns, and compound grey-green leaves with seven, slender leaflets. Huge trusses of small, creamy-white, lightly scented flowers are produced in late spring to early summer, sometimes repeating in late summer; tiny, round, red hips follow

Synonyms
Rosa microcarpa
Rosa cymosus
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Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
2.5–4 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring White Red
Summer White Green
Autumn Green Red
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Rosaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Climbing
Potentially harmful
Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus

Rosa can be deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs or scrambling climbers, with usually thorny stems bearing compound pinnate leaves and solitary or clustered flowers. Flowers may be followed by showy red or purple fruits in some varieties.

Name status

Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun, in a warm sheltered position. Best suited to southern counties. Mulch with well-rotted organic matter in late winter or early spring, and for best flowering apply a general rose or shrub fertiliser in early spring and again in early summer. See rose cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in early to mid spring, hardwood cuttings in late summer to autumn or by chip budding in summer; propagate by seed; species roses can be propagated by seed but need stratification and germination may take two seasons

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

See pruning group 17 (climbing roses); don't prune flowers if fruits (hips) are required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, rose leafhopper, glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects, caterpillars, large rose sawfly, rose slugworm sawfly and rose leaf-rolling sawfly. Deer and rabbits can cause damage

Diseases

May be susceptible to rose black spot, rose rust, replant disease, rose dieback, and rose powdery mildew and sometimes honey fungus. May also be susceptible to disorders rose blindness and flower balling

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