The Macartney rose is an unusual and valuable evergreen climbing species rose native to China. Hybridizers are now discovering the great virtues of this rose and its offspring. Rosa bracteata was introduced to England in 1793 on the return of Lord Macartney from China. It has become naturalized and now thrives in the southeastern parts of the United States due in part to the similar climate to its native habitat in China. It now can be found from Virginia to Florida to Texas.

The beautiful flower of Rosa bracteata are 5 petaled, large (2-3 inches across), pure white with several hundred orange-yellow prominent stamens surrounding the pistils of each flower. Blooms begin for us in late June to July and throughout the summer. Flowers can usually be found on R. bracteata well in to the autumn months of October and November. The blossoms are lightly scented - many say the rich fragrance is reminiscent of lemons or apricots.

The large, round hips are only occasionally found on the plant. Ripened hips are orange red in color and contain only a few seeds. The sepals reflex and fall off the hips when ripe. Although each flower of R. bracteata contain hundreds of stamens, the pollen is only slightly potent. This combined with the fact that the Macartney rose doesn’t accept foreign pollen readily explain the absence of hips found on the plants. R. bracteata is a diploid with 2 sets of 7 chromosomes (2n=14) or a total of 14 chromosomes.

The Macartney rose is best grown as a climber and can grow from 8 to 15 feet tall. I’ve also heard that R. bracteata has been grown as a ground cover rose as well. It’s best to only prune out the dead wood and cut back the weak or spindly stems found on the plant. The stems are a fawn brown and according to Peter Beales, are armed with small thorns and pairs of hooked "cruel barbs". The evergreen foliage with 7-9 leaflets is thick, dark green and glossy. The leaves are slightly downy to the touch. Many have reported that the foliage is apparently resistant to the blackspot infestations.

Although this rose isn’t necessarily considered hardy for all parts of the United States, it is certainly hardy in most western parts of the pacific northwest. It performs well when grown on a warm wall. In fact I have seen it blooming and content on north facing walls.

In general, the first generation hybrids using the Macartney rose have been second-rate to R. bracteata. Many of the hybrids produced have not only been inferior but also sterile. The outstanding hybrid ‘Mermaid’ is the deviation from the rule. This vigorous rose produced by William Paul in 1917 is a most beautiful and outstanding climber. It was a product of crossing R. bracteata with the pollen of an unknown double yellow tea rose. Nearly evergreen with large, deep dark green foliage, ‘Mermaid’ can grow 20-30’ tall. This rose is not for small gardens! The fragrant blossoms are large (3-4"), single and lemon yellow. Flowers are produced throughout the summer. Unlike most R. bracteata hybrids, ‘Mermaid’ is fertile (seed and pollen). Like R. bracteata, ‘Mermaid’ is tolerant to shade and can grow in spots most roses would only struggle in. Unfortunately ‘Mermaid’ is somewhat tender (like R. bracteata) and can only be grown in USDA zones 7b and higher.

Some of the reported hybrids using ‘Mermaid’ include:

‘Sea Foam’ - A 1919 introduction by William Paul. Flowers are small, double and milky white in color. Foliage is dark green and glossy. Recurrent blooming. Said to be a hybrid between ‘Mermaid’ and a polyantha rose.

‘Leipsig’ - ‘Eva’ x ‘Mermaid’ A 1939 hybrid musk rose from Kordes. Semi-double flowers are orange-scarlet in color that occur in clusters. Foliage is glossy and leathery. Plants are bushy, vigorous and repeat blooming.

‘Pearl Drift’ - ‘Mermaid’ x ‘New Dawn’ A 1981 shrub rose from LeGrice. Clusters of white blooms flushed with pink. Semi-double (18 petals) flowers that are slightly fragrant. Foliage is glossy and dark green. Compact and vigorous. ‘Pearl Drift’ will set seed and its pollen is good. This selection has been used to produce several new floribunda roses.

Other R. bracteata hybrids include:

‘Alba Simplex’ - Single, white large blossoms.

‘Alba Odorata’ - (Levet 1848) Blooms are double white with a yellow center. Plants are very vigorous.

‘Marie Leonida’ - (1832) R. bracteata x R. laevigata(?). Flowers are large, full and double. Cupped blooms are white with a pink center. Red stamens are prominent. Foliage is leathery and glossy.

‘Pink Powderpuff’ - (Ralph Moore, 1990) ‘Lulu’ x ‘Muriel’ Buds are pointed. Flowers are light pink and very double (100+ petals). Heavy spring bloom. Very fragrant (damask). Foliage is large and semi-glossy. Tall growing - climbing growth. Recurrent bloom.

‘Schneezwerg’ - (Peter Lambert 1912) R. rugosa x R.bracteata The parentage of ‘Schneezwerg’ is controversal. Some believe (including Modern Rose 10) that the pollen parent is not R. bracteata but instead either an unknown polyantha rose or the species R. beggeriana. I believe that the pollen parent is R. bracteata. The arrangement of the stamens in the flowers of ‘Schneezwerg’ is very similar to R. bracteata. Flowers are pure snow white with prominent golden stamens. Blooms are semi-double and appear in clusters. Foliage is very glossy and dark green. Hips are small and red. Very vigorous and upright growing (5-6 feet). Recurrent bloom. Very hardy. 14 chromosomes.

Unnamed hybrids:

R. bracteata x R. carolina (Van Fleet) - Attractive pink flowers. Nonrecurrent profuse bloom.

R. bracteata x ‘Frau Karl Druschki’ (Van Fleet) - Fragrant pure white flowers. Blossoms of excellent form, but few flowers produced.

Related species:

Rosa clinophylla - A species closely related to R. bracteata was introduced from India before 1817. This species is also native to Bengal, Nepal and China. Flowers are large and pure white. This species closely resembles R. bracteata except for narrow leaflets, longer and thinner branches and slightly different thorns. This species is one of just a few rose that flourishes in wet areas. It is often found in low marshy areas, while R. bracteata prefers drier upland sites. R. clinophylla is also a prolific seed producer with large hips containing nearly 150 seeds.