Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
What does multiflora rose look like?
Imported to North America in the late 1800s, this woody shrub was originally intended as a rootstock for slow-rooting ornamental roses. But it quickly escaped cultivation. Plants produce clusters of small, fragrant pale pink to white flowers in early summer on thorny 10- to 15-foot-tall arching stems. As canes grow, they arch and take root. One plant can form a dense thicket in a few years.
Where to find multiflora rose
Multiflora rose prefers full sun, but tolerates dense shade. Rich to poor soil in areas minimally cultivated or rarely mowed allow it to quickly establish. The only conditions it won’t tolerate are wet soil and winter temperatures below -28 degrees F.
How to get rid of multiflora rose
This shrub has been proven to be a host to rose rosette disease, so be sure to remove all multiflora roses within 300 feet of your cultivated roses. That’s about how far the mite that transmits the disease can travel.
Seedlings are easy to pull or dig out. Cut mature plants to the ground or dig them, and keep mowing new growth several times per year until it stops sprouting. Protect your hands from the thorns with leather gloves.
Many herbicides are effective controls. Contact your extension service to see which ones work best in your region. After treatment, you’ll need to keep an eye out for seedlings for many years.
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