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Rosa multiflora (Multiflora Rose, Baby Rose, Rambler Rose) is a species of rose native to eastern Asia, in China, Japan and Korea.
It is a scrambling shrub climbing over other plants to a height of 3-5 m, with stout stems with recurved thorns (sometimes absent). The leaves are 5-10 cm long, compound, with 5-9 leaflets and feathered stipules. The flowers are produced in large corymbs, each flower small, 1.5-4 cm diameter, white or pink, borne in early summer. The hips are reddish to purple, 6-8 mm diameter.
Two varieties are accepted by the Flora of China:
- Rosa multiflora var. multiflora. Flowers white, 1.5-2 cm diameter.
- Rosa multiflora var. cathayensis Rehder & E.H.Wilson. Flowers pink, to 4 cm diameter.
Cultivation and uses
Rosa multiflora is grown as an ornamental plant, and also used as a rootstock for grafted ornamental rose cultivars.
In eastern North America, Multiflora Rose has become an invasive species, though it was originally planted as a soil conservation measure and to attract wildlife. It is readily distinguished from American native roses by its large inflorescences, which bear multiple flowers and hips, often more than a dozen, while the American species bear only one or a few on a branch.
Over time this plant has become a serious ecological problem because of its ability to grow in diverse light, soil, and moisture conditions, and because its seeds are widely broadcast by birds. Once established, it forms nearly impenetrable thickets that displace native understory plants and can become a fire hazard in wilderness areas. Some places classify Multiflora rose as a "noxious weed" [1]. In grazing areas, this rose is generally considered to be a serious pest, though it is considered excellent fodder for goats.
References
- Flora of China: Rosa multiflora
- "Multiflora rose". U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved on March 27, 2006.