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I have a rose in my back yard called a Cherokee Rose (scientific name is Rosa laevigata). It is an evergreen climbing rose and can grow to be huge. It has no natural enemies and it's hooked thorns are wicked (ought to know, got more than one out of hand/arm/etc.). Unfortunately, it only blooms for about 2-3 weeks a year.

Legend of the Cherokee Rose
When the Trail of Tears started in 1838, the mothers of the Cherokee were grieving and crying so much, they were unable to help their children survive the journey. The elders prayed for a sign that would lift the mother’s spirits to give them strength. The next day a beautiful rose began to grow where each of the mother’s tears fell. The rose is white for their tears; a gold center represents the gold taken from Cherokee lands, and seven leaves on each stem for the seven Cherokee clans. The wild Cherokee Rose grows along the route of the Trail of Tears into eastern Oklahoma today.
Source: The Cherokee 1994 Heritage Calendar by Dorothy Sullivan, Memoray Circle Studio, Norman, Ok.

This rose is about 18 years old. I stepped it off today and it's about 40-45 feet long, about 20 feet deep and probably 25 feet tall. I started it as a rootling no bigger than the size of a pencil.

Jimbo parked his p/u in front of it just to give you an idea of the size (3/4 ton extended cab).

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More to come as I get them processed and uploaded.

WOW!!!! :o

From Joe...a big time "ROSER" currently down to under 20 bushes...none approaching THAT goliath! Cool pics.

Joe

Beautiful, Darlin.
Don't imagine it could survive the brutal winters we have up here though :(

Pretty, pretty!!! :)

Guiseppi wrote on Apr 5^th, 2009 at 1:08am:

WOW!!!! :o

From Joe...a big time "ROSER" currently down to under 20 bushes...none approaching THAT goliath! Cool pics.

Joe

After the *monster* quits blooming, I think we're going to take it down to the ground (will have to rebuild fence first, though) and start over again.

I had over 40 rose bushes at one time, all hybrid teas, but they just got to be too much work (and expensive too!). I'm down to 12 now and don't forsee planting any more.

More pics

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I love the 3rd pic from the top. New life silently waiting to bloom. :)

Jackie,
I just looked at the *hardiness* zones and this rose is pretty damned cold tolerant. It will survive in temps as low as 0 F. If it were kept neatly trimmed (unlike mine), you could probably throw something over it and it would do just fine.

Carolyn

That is our state flower. I have seen them but not that big. That is what I need in my back yard. It is beautiful.
Thanks for sharing with us.

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Those could be GREAT pictures, if there was a REAL truck in front of it, instead of that make-believe thing that Ford puts out ...

(OK, going to go hide, now, from Carolyn's wrath ... )

;) ;D

Chuck

ClusterChuck wrote on Apr 5^th, 2009 at 3:50pm:

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That Ford pushes them others outta the way ;D

deltadarlin wrote on Apr 5^th, 2009 at 11:34am:

Well then.....gonna try one. I have the perfect spot in mind.

Love ya,
Jackie

Jackie,
You may have to order it off the internet. I don't know if you can find it through a grower.

Carolyn

Kinda thought I might, Darlin.....I've never seen them around here.

Well, if you could figure out how to get a cutting home, I could bring you one to St. Louis.

We're driving so getting one home shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks :)

Love ya,
Jackie

I can do that. Anyone else want a cutting? Just remind me when we get closer to convention (given that I'll probably forget about it before the day is over with).

Carolyn

Those are gorgeous! It looks very much like a rose we used to call a moon rose. Haven't seen one of those in years. VERY fragrant when they bloom, but like yours only for a couple of weeks. Also very hardy. I might take you up on a cutting also.

Jerry

Beautiful photos, Carolyn. :) Thank you for posting them. I always look forward to your photo threads.

Reminds me that it won't be too long here before our native mountain wild roses bloom--the Wood's Rose. We usually see them about the time the syringa starts blooming.

Best,

George

I love the roses and I love the story. I wish I could have one - one day I will and it will only ever come from a cutting of one from your house. :)

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http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl Daily Chat >> General Posts >> Cherokee Rose~pictures~ http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1238899134 Message started by deltadarlin on Apr 4^th, 2009 at 10:38pm