How To Keep Wild Rose Bushes From Spreading Like Weeds In Your Yard

What could be better than rose bushes covering your yard? Unfortunately, if they're multiflora roses (Rosa multiflora), there's a lot that could be better. Multiflora roses are actually an aggressive and invasive species, and are considered noxious weeds in many states thanks to their ability to form dense thickets and outcompete native plants. As tempting as it may be to allow these roses to grow in your yard, the best way to handle multiflora roses in North America is to remove them and replace them with a native or non-aggressive alternative.

With all the stunning roses that could be growing in your garden, it may initially be difficult to know which, if any, are invasive. Multiflora roses tend to have long arching branches which are covered in red thorns and stay green year round. Their flowers are white or pink. As beautiful as multiflora roses can be when in bloom, their impressive ability to spread quickly and escape from gardens and yards makes them a poor choice to grow. Not only can they root in spots where their stems touch the ground, but they also produce fertile seeds that birds and other animals often carry to new locations. Removing a multiflora rose bush can be a challenging process, and in addition to digging up or repeatedly cutting back or mowing as much of the plant as possible, you may also need to use a systemic herbicide. Removing these rose bushes is well worth it though, due to the damage they can cause otherwise.

Thanks to their nasty thorns, you'll need to wear long sleeves and gloves that protect your hands and arms when working with multiflora roses. Begin by pulling or digging up any seedlings or small plants. Be sure to remove the roots as well, if possible. Cut back any canes you aren't able to dig up. You will have to continually check and recut or mow over these to prevent them from growing back.

While you may be able to control your multiflora rose problem by repeatedly cutting or mowing the plants, to fully eradicate them, herbicides could be necessary. The best strategy is often to cut or mow the canes and then paint the stumps with herbicide. Be sure to read all directions on the herbicides label and follow them carefully. Because the seeds are viable and can survive for up to 20 years, you will need to continue to be vigilant for new seedlings.

Once you've eradicated the multiflora rose threatening to take over your yard, it's finally time for the fun part — finding a plant to replace it. Both Virginia (Rosa virginiana) and Carolina (Rosa carolina) roses are beautiful North American native roses. Virginia roses are hardy in zones 3 through 8 and Carolina roses are able to thrive in zones 4 through 9. They also both attract pollinators, birds, and mammals, ensuring the wildlife won't miss the old multiflora rose bush for long.

While neither of these two native roses reach the 15-foot height that multiflora roses can manage, Carolina roses can grow to 5-feet tall and Virginia roses can reach 6-feet tall. If you'd like a taller rose that can be trained to climb up a large trellis, a stunning climbing rose like Rosa Altissimo 'Delmur', which can reach 10-feet tall and has bright red flowers, could be an excellent option.