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Climbing wild rose/Rosa setigera - questions

14 years ago

After much deliberation about what to do about the vine in our yard affected with what appears to be phylloxera, we've decided to replace the vine since it's in a very visible spot in our yard. For a while I thought the vine might be Heartleaf peppervine (Ampelopsis cordata), but a local arborist said it was a native grape, which would explain the gall/phylloxera. The fruits were very tiny this year, and the leaves are a wreck.

Am trying to decide between Climbing wild rose (Rosa setigera) and Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) to replace the grape vine. Any thoughts on the advantages of each are welcome.

The Trumpet honeysuckle would be easier to purchase since they carry it at a nearby nursery, but I'd really would like something that has pink blooms like the Climbing wild rose. We also like the look of the red hips on the wild rose in the winter. Does anyone have experience with the intentional growing of Rosa setigera they can share?

Rosa setigera is available from a nursery called Brushwood Nursery in PA. Has anyone ordered from them before?

Were in Zone 6, Nothern Piedmont. We don't seem to have a Japanese beetle infestation on our land, but do have various wildlife such as deer, rabbits, and groundhogs. Thanks in advance.

Featured Answer

Soeur

14 years ago

I've grown R. setigera. It's pretty rugged and quite showy in bloom, although the bloom period is rather short. Jap beetles do like it, as they do all rose family members. The plant gets big and sprawly if just allowed to do its thing, which is how I grew mine. Since it is a 'climbing' rose, you could train it the way one trains those types. It certainly puts out long enough canes.

A different native rose you might consider if it suits your needs is R. palustris, Marsh Rose. Despite its common name it grows just fine in ordinary garden conditions, making a very large, gracefully arching shrub. It's minimally thorny and the blooms are a very bright, quite lovely pink, showier to my eye than R. setigera. It also will take a little shade with no complaint.

I've grown L. sempervirens, too, both the straight species and quite a few cultivars. Unlike maifleur's experience, I haven't seen it sprout all over (I wonder if maifleur was thinking of trumpet creeper, Campsis radicans). This plant has the advantage of being evergreen, obviously, and it's a constant hummingbird magnet. It's a true twining vine, and certain varieties bloom all summer and are powdery mildew resistant, a disease which can be a scourge of this species. 'Cedar Lane' is a lovely variety with glaucous blue-green foliage, and the new 'Major Wheeler' is said to be highly mildew resistant.

I have seen deer take rose hips in winter, but I've never seen them really damage the plant, although maybe I've just been lucky. They leave my lonicera alone.

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Comments (6)

maifleur01
14 years ago
Unless you want to be digging plants all over the area near your yard do not plant the trumpet honeysuckle. Nice plant but will send runners everywhere.
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maifleur01
14 years ago
I was talking about what is now called trumpet creeper. In this area it is still sold as trumpet honeysuckle. Sorry I keep forgeting about the change.

However L. sempervirens in this area is not consistantly evergreen. It seems to lose its leaves in my friends gardens when it gets down to about 10-15 F.
topie
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you very much maifleur and soeur for your feedback. I was actually pondering growing Trumpet creeper in this spot too, so it's good you mentioned that one...but I decided the salmon-colored blooms would look strange against the colors of some other flowers close by...also may be a bit too aggressive for us to keep up with.

So I think we'll go with the Rosa setigera...I have the feeling the rose look more visually appealing in the winter than the Trumpet honeysuckle. I'll look into the Rosa palustris...that rose sounds really great too.

Thanks again!
eshore21814
14 years ago
If you are still thinking about native roses, there is some great information in this article that I found http://www.wildlifegardeners.org/forum/feature-articles/3659-native-roses-north-america-3.html
topie
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks eshore21814, that article was very informative and the rose hip recipes are great. We did end up planting a Rosa setigera that we got from a nursery that carries native roses...seemed to be the best one for climbing, and it's native to our area...so far it seems to be doing well. It's nice knowing it will provide cover and food for the birds, and vitamins for us humans. Hopefully I'll be able to post a photo of it in the spring.

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