Rosa laevigata (Ra) | Cherokee rose

RHS

Other common names

three-leaved rose

Synonyms

Rosa sinica Aiton
Rosa laevigata Cherokee Rose

Roses Climber Wall Shrub

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A very large rambling rose about 4.5m tall, with glossy, bright green, semi-evergreen leaves composed of three leaflets. Large, single, slightly fragrant, white blooms with a boss of golden stamens appear in early summer, followed by pear-shaped, bristly, brownish orange-red hips

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

8-12 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 8-12 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H4

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Semi evergreen
Habit: Climbing
Potentially harmful: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
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
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Rambler roses are vigorous shrubs with long, arching, thorny or smooth stems carrying glossy foliage and large sprays of small, single or double, often fragrant flowers in early summer
Plant Range: China

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun, on a warm sheltered wall. Best suited to southern counties and inner city locations. 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
Mediterranean climate plants
Wildlife gardens
Climber and wall shrubs
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 18 (rambler roses) - see our video How to prune rambling roses. Don't prune after flowering if fruits (hips) are required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, including rose aphid, the most common rose pest. May also be susceptible to rose leafhopper, glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects, caterpillars, large rose sawfly, rose leaf-rolling sawfly and leaf-cutter bees. Deer and rabbits can also 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