Multifora Rose  (alias; Rosa Multiflora)

Wild Rose is lively and very prolific, spreading across the entire country. Huge thorny canes arch out from the root ball and then send up new shoots when they come in contact with soil. In this way the rose escapes captivity simply by “walking” across a field or woods.

If she is under a tree, new canes rise from the older ones and climb sometimes 40 feet up a tree, reaching for sunlight, and pulling the top down with the weight. Rose steals sunlight from the tree’s leaves and grows rapidly with the water she has plundered from the soil.

Clusters of fragrant white flowers bloom in late May or June for a few weeks. That’s when they are nice to have around. The rest of the year they are no good, and do nothing but invade more territory and snag your clothes. Find something native that will welcome spring with a sweet fragrance and kick these invaders out!

–Learn about our all-natural methods for removing Rose and other invasives–

Rosa Multiflora thrives in a wide range of environmental conditions with disturbed or unhealthy soil. A mature plant can produce hundreds of seeds (or rosehips) in one season and germination rate is high.

Rosehips are high in vitamin C however, and can be used for tea, tinctures and oils–so collect them all and use them before they spread to the rest of the forest!

Eradication: The only effective way to eradicate Multiflora Rose is to dig up the root ball. She bites to defend her position, so a strategic approach is well advised. We have custom made tools that will pry up the roots in one tenth the time you could do it with a standard shovel.

Still, it’s no picnic. She is very protective of her mother root and getting to it requires careful maneuvering, thick sleeves and lots of will power. At the end of a day of removing Rose we come out with scratches all over our bodies.

–Learn how PI Patrol restores woodlands by removing invasive plants–