Shrub · Rosaceae
Climbing Rose
Rosa
Tie it up, train the canes sideways, and a climbing rose will drape a wall in bloom.
Full sun
Every 5–7 days
USDA 5–9
6–15 ft · 1.8–4.6 m
Overview
A climbing rose is the plant that turns a bare fence or arbor into a wall of flowers. It isn't a true vine. The long, stiff canes have no way to grip on their own, so you tie them to a support and guide where they go. Give it that structure and it can reach 6 to 15 feet (1.8 to 4.5 m) up a wall over a few seasons.
The split that matters most is how often a plant flowers. Some climbers bloom once, in a heavy flush in late spring to early summer, while others repeat from June right through fall. That single trait decides when you prune, since cutting at the wrong moment can cost you a whole year of bloom.
Roses earn their fussy reputation, but most of the trouble is preventable. Plant in full sun, keep water off the leaves, and leave room for air to move between the canes, and you head off the black spot and mildew that plague crowded, shaded plants. The thorns are the one constant hazard, so gloves and long sleeves are part of the job.
Care
The short version: full sun, deep watering at the base once or twice a week, rich well-drained soil, and canes tied to a sturdy support and trained sideways for the most bloom.
Light
Climbing roses want full sun, ideally six or more hours a day. They'll tolerate part shade, but shaded plants bloom less and fall to mildew far more easily. Sun and open air are your best defense against disease.
Water
Water deeply at the base 1 to 2 times a week rather than with frequent light sprinklings. Keep the spray off the leaves and water in the morning so any wet foliage dries fast, which is what holds black spot at bay.
Soil
Plant in fertile, well-drained loam worked full of organic matter. Roses like the soil a touch acidic to neutral, around pH 6.0 to 7.0, with enough compost to feed the heavy growth these climbers put on.
Temperature
Established climbers are tough, riding out winter lows near -20°F (-29°C) and summer heat up to about 95°F (35°C). Match the cultivar to your zone and the plant handles the swings on its own.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity suits them, so there's no number to chase. What counts far more is airflow, since still, damp air around crowded canes is exactly what black spot and powdery mildew need.
Feeding
Feed monthly with a balanced rose fertilizer or compost from spring through summer while the plant is growing hard. Stop by late summer, so you don't push tender new growth that won't harden before frost.
Pruning
Because the canes can't cling, tie them to a support and train the mains sideways at 45 to 60 degrees to spread bloom along their length. Keep about six strong canes and cut the flowering laterals back to 2 or 3 buds. Prune repeat bloomers in late winter while dormant, but wait until right after flowering on once-blooming types.
Repotting
rarely
Size & spacing
A climbing rose runs 6 to 15 feet (1.8 to 4.5 m) tall and spreads 6 to 8 feet (183 to 244 cm) across, so give it a wall, fence, or arbor with real room. Set plants far enough apart that air moves freely between them to keep disease down.
When to plant
Climbing roses are planted while dormant, not started from seed. Set dormant bare-root or container plants out in early spring once the soil can be worked, or in fall where winters stay mild. The heaviest flush comes in late spring to early summer, with repeat types blooming on through the fall.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Plant dormant bare-root or container roses in early spring after the soil is workable, or in fall in mild climates.
- Harvest: Heaviest bloom in late spring to early summer (about June), with repeat flowering through fall on repeat-blooming types.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 5–9
Temperature: down to -29°C
Troubleshooting
Most rose problems show up on the leaves first, and nearly all of them trace back to wet foliage and crowded growth. Spot the early signs and you can act before a plant defoliates. Match what you see below, then deal with it while it's still small.
Black spots with yellow halos on the leaves
This is black spot, the fungus Diplocarpon rosae, and it takes hold when leaves stay wet for more than about 7 hours. Pull off the marked leaves and prune out infected canes below the damage, then rake up every fallen leaf so spores can't overwinter in the litter. Water at the base in the morning, give the plant room to breathe, and reach for a sulfur or myclobutanil fungicide only when the weather keeps the disease coming.
Fix:
- Remove and dispose of infected leaves and prune out infected canes below affected areas
- Rake up and discard fallen leaves and replace mulch
- Apply a labeled fungicide such as sulfur, myclobutanil, propiconazole, or chlorothalonil when conditions favor disease
White powdery film on new leaves and buds
A dusty gray-white coating on the young growth is powdery mildew, which settles in when nights are mild, around 70°F to 80°F (21°C to 27°C), and the plant sits in shade. Prune out the worst-hit shoots and clear away dead leaves that shelter the spores. Sulfur sprays help, but a sunny, open spot with moving air does most of the work for you.
Fix:
- Prune out and dispose of heavily infected shoots
- Clean up dead leaves that harbor spores
- Apply sulfur or a sulfur and pyrethrins product labeled for roses
Soft insects swarming the new shoots and buds
Those dense green, pink, or black clusters on the tender tips are aphids, and the sticky film they leave behind is honeydew. A hard spray of water early in the day knocks most of them off. Hold off on broad insecticides so the lady beetles and lacewings that hunt aphids stick around to finish the job.
Fix:
- Knock aphids off with a strong spray of water early in the day
- Tolerate and encourage natural predators such as lady beetles and lacewings
- Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides that kill beneficial insects
Toxicity
Good news on the safety front: roses carry no toxins, so they're safe around cats, dogs, horses, livestock, birds, and people, and the hips are even edible. The catch is mechanical, not chemical. Stiff thorns line the canes and can prick skin, mouths, and paws, so wear gloves and long sleeves when you train or prune, and keep pets from gnawing the stems.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
No poisoning risk, since the rose itself is non-toxic to cats. The real hazard is the thorns, which can scratch a curious paw or prick the mouth, so steer a chewing cat away from the canes.
Dogs None
A dog can nibble rose foliage without poisoning, but a mouthful of thorny stem can scratch the gums or tongue. Gnawing a lot of woody cane may also bring on a passing stomach upset.
Horses None
Roses are safe for horses to graze, with no toxic compounds in play. Watch only for the stiff thorns, which can prick the muzzle or lips.
Rabbits None
Rabbits can browse rose leaves with no toxicity to worry about. The sharp thorns are the one thing to mind around tender noses and feet.
Livestock None
Goats, sheep, and cattle often strip rose foliage happily and come to no chemical harm. The thorns are the only catch, capable of pricking lips and mouths as they feed.
Birds None
Roses pose no poisoning danger to birds, and many wild birds feed on the hips through winter. The thorns simply give them a safe, prickly place to perch.
People Safe
Rose hips are edible and turn up in teas and jams, and petals are food-safe too. The thorns are the genuine hazard here, so wear gloves and long sleeves when you train or prune the canes.
Climbing roses bear stiff thorns on their long canes that can cause mechanical injury to skin, mouths, and paws; wear gloves and long sleeves when training and pruning, and keep pets from chewing thorny stems.
Varieties
Climbing roses come in hundreds of named cultivars, but a few classics turn up again and again on fences and arbors. These are worth knowing by name.
New Dawn
A vigorous repeat bloomer that climbs 10 to 15 feet and carries soft shell-pink semi-double flowers, prized for shrugging off disease.
Don Juan
Grown above all for its large, fragrant double flowers in a deep velvety red.
Dublin Bay
A repeat-flowering climber that keeps throwing bright crimson-red blooms through the season.
Climbing Cecile Brunner
A very vigorous climber that smothers itself in masses of small, light pink buttonhole blooms.
How to propagate
You can make new climbing roses a few ways, from rooting cuttings to pinning a cane to the ground. Each takes patience, and the method most nurseries use is the hardest of the lot.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Late spring through summer from semi-hardwood growth · Several weeks to a few months to root
Take 6 to 8 inch tip cuttings from semi-hardwood growth in late spring or summer, strip off the flowers, and dip the base in rooting hormone to lift your odds. Be patient, since the cuttings need several weeks to a few months to root.
LayeringEasy
Growing season · One season to root before separating
The long, bendy canes make climbing roses a natural fit for layering. During the growing season, pull a flexible cane down to the ground, bury a section of it, and let it root while it stays fed by the parent. Give it a full season before you cut the new plant free.
GraftingDemanding
Summer for budding onto rootstock · One season
Most roses you buy were made this way, with a chosen variety budded onto a tougher, more disease-resistant rootstock. The budding is done in summer and takes about a season to knit, but it's exacting work better left to nurseries.
Myths
Climbing roses cling and climb their supports on their own, the way a vine does.
A climbing rose has no tendrils or holdfasts, so it never twines or grips anything by itself. Its long, stiff canes have to be tied to a trellis or fence and trained by hand. Without your ties, the canes simply flop.
Every climbing rose should get the same hard prune at the same time each year.
Timing depends on the type. Repeat bloomers are pruned in late winter or early spring while dormant, but once-blooming climbers are pruned right after they finish flowering, since cutting them in spring strips off the buds that would have become this year's flowers.