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Rosa setigera
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

American wild climbing rose

A rose of trailing habit to 1.5m tall, with long, arching stems and leaves composed of serrated bright green leaflets, downy and greyish beneath. Clusters of slightly fragrant, single, deep-pink blooms to 6.5cm across, fading with age, are produced over a long season from early to late summer then small globular red fruits (hips) follow

Other common names
prairie rose
sunshine rose
Synonyms
Rosa prairie rose
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Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
1.5–2.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green Grey Silver
Summer Pink Green Grey Silver
Autumn Green Grey Silver Red
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy, Trailing
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

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. 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
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Hedging and screens
Pruning

See pruning group 20 (shrub roses) but don't deadhead flowers if autumn 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. May also be susceptible to disorders rose blindness and flower balling and sometimes honey fungus

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