Rosa multiflora or the Rambler Rose, and the Multiflowered
Rose is that bright white, flowering - mound usually 5 to 10 feet tall but sometimes seen climbing 40 or more feet up a tree that you see all over roadsides and pastures during the month of May in the northeastern and Midwestern United States.
This common
invasive weed was encouraged in the 1930's by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service who advocated the use of multiflora rose for soil erosion projects and as a "living fence" to confine livestock. Hedges of multiflora rose have also been used as a
crash barrier and to reduce headlight glare in the medians of highways. The plant is extremely prolific, however, and successfully invades pastures and other unplowed lands, crowding out existing vegetation and creating dense, impenetrable thickets.
Rambler Rose has small
thorns throughout its tangled branches, making removal a painful process. If you find it growing in your garden it is best controlled by a combination of methods; early, aggressive hand weeding, repeated cutting to the ground of older, tough growth and resultant new growth. Sometimes the use of herbicides like glyphosate is advocated on new growth. Check with your
county extension agent before using herbicides as effectiveness and safety is controversial.
I love the flowers and
rose hips produced by this plant and am tempted to encourage it to grow up a certain damaged tree in my yard. The invasive nature of the plant and the thorns have steered me away from this alternative. I get Rosa multiflora weeds despite having no plants in the surrounding couple of acres of land.
Birds must carry the seeds in.