Multiflora rose is a woody perennial, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub in the rose family (Rosaceae). It was brought to the United States from Asia as a rootstock for many roses and its planting was encouraged as a shrub that would help with erosion and be a "living fence" to contain livestock. The species name means many flowered. It prefers full sun to partial shade but can also survive in a shady forest. It rapidly grows 10 to 15 feet tall and 14 to 15 feet wide. The branches are covered in sturdy curved prickles and it forms dense thickets in meadows, fields or forest edges. Multiflora rose can be distinguished from other rose species by the fringed stipules at the base of each leaf. The flowers are small and white, compared to many wild Rosa species' pink flowers. It can be mistaken for various species of brambles ( Rubus sp.) due to similar growth habits and prickles. However, Rubus species have red or purple stems while multiflora rose is consistently green. One multiflora rose plant can produce 500,000 seeds annually and the seedbank is viable for 10 to 20 years. This plant has no predators in North Carolina; that, coupled with its prolific seed production, its ability to colonize by rooting stem, and to leaf out earlier than native plants in the spring, make it an invasive and fierce competitor. It is very difficult to control. Please consider a native alternative instead. See the lefthand sidebar for suggestions. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Listed as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council. More information on Rosa .
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 sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in. | Width: 14 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Clumping; Dense; Multi-stemmed
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Alternate odd-pinnate compound leaves with 5-11 leaflets with serrate margins. Leaflets are ovate 1/2"-2" long with acute (pointed) tips. Petioles have fringed stipules which distinguishes them from other roses.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Corymb
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Small showy fragrant white to light pink 5 petaled flowers (1/2 to 1 in wide) clustered in a corymb from late spring to early summer (April to June). Flowers have both male and female parts (perfect).
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
1/4" red hips appear in clusters late summer and persist into fall. High seed production (achenes; the hip itself is an accessory fruit).
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Brown; Light Gray
Bark detail
Dark brown, streaks of light brown or gray
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Green to red arching canes with prickles
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Eastern China, Korea, Japan
Wildlife value
Birds and small mammals eat the rose hips as a fall and winter food source and disperse the seeds.