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Pink Cherokee Rose

Rosa laevigata (RO-zuh ly-vih-GAY-tah ah-NEM-oh-nee)

Family: Rosaceae Unknown Vine (vertical)

Pink Cherokee rose, a member of the rose family (Rosaceae), is a cultivar of the Cherokee rose ( R. laevigata ). The cultivar is a woody, broadleaf evergreen, climbing vine that has the vigor of the species but is much more open and its glossy foliage is daintier. The cultivar was bred by J. Schmidt of Erfurt, Germany, and introduced in 1887. Plant pink Cherokee in full sun to partial shade and moist soil, although the best flowering and disease resistance occurs in full sun. Water deeply and regularly. A summer application of mulch helps retain moisture. Pink Cherokee rose tolerates a wide range of soil types, even poor soil, and it is deer-resistant. Give this rose 6 to 12 feet of space to grow. Pink Cherokee has large, single, showy, mildly fragrant, pink flowers that are attractive to bees and butterflies. It flowers in spring and, unlike its parent, repeats blooming. The rose hips are edible. Plant pink Cherokee as an accent on a rock wall or other vertical space in a pollinator or cutting garden. Keep it away from high-traffic areas, as its stems are very prickly. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Pink Cherokee is susceptible to Fuller rose beetles, Japanese beetles, rose chafer, rose thrips, southern red mites and twospotted mites. Disease problems include botrytis, blights, powdery mildew, leaf spots and anthracnose. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Rosa laevigata .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 49 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 6 - Vine (vertical) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Perennial; Rose; Vine
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Climbing; Spreading
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Dark green, glossy trifoliate leaves with toothed margins.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup; Saucer
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Large single flowers with 5 petals and yellow stamens. Unlike its parent plant, Cherokee Pink blooms are recurrent. The flower petals are lightly veined with a deeper pink, are paler on the reverse side and surround a crown of golden stamens.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Fruit detail
Large, edible, rose hips.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Flowers attract butterflies and bees.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer

Edibility

rose hips are edible

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Rock Wall; Vertical Spaces
Landscape theme
Cutting Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Accent
Garden tags
#shade garden #aggressive #showy flowers #showy fruits #thorns #fragrant flowers #glossy leaves #deer resistant #fast growing #vine #evergreen vine #prickles
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Fuller Rose Beetle; Japanese Beetles on Ornamental Landscape Plants; Rose Chafer; Thrips Found on Flowers and Foliage; Mites Found on Flowers and Foliage
Resistant to
Deer; Poor Soil

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.