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Roses

Rosa multibracteata (S)

many-bracted rose

Graceful rose about 1.8m tall, with stout stems bearing spiky thorns and fragrant, fern-like, grey-green leaves. Bunched clusters of single, bright rose-lilac blooms to 4cm across are produced on thin petioles which have alternating bracts along their length, repeat-flowering from early to late summer, followed by bristly rounded, bright red fruits (hips) if flowers are not deadheaded

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained, Moist but well–drained

pH

Alkaline, Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–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)

Botanical details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched, 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: Shrub roses are large shrubs with usually thorny stems bearing large leaves and fragrant, single to double flowers in clusters in summer, and usually also in autumn
Plant range: W China

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or light shade, 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

Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Climber and wall shrubs
Wall side borders

Pruning

See pruning group 21 (shrub roses); can be trained as a climber, see pruning group 17 (climbing roses); don't prune after flowering 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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