How to grow the Cherokee rose? Latest cultivation methods explained in detail

The Cherokee rose (Rosa roxburghii), also known as cili, mulizi, or cili fruit, is a spreading shrub in the family Rosaceae, genus Rosa. Its flowers are elegant, with a ring of golden-yellow anthers densely set among the pink petals, making it quite distinctive. Its yellow prickles have a charming wild appeal, giving it high ornamental value. It is suitable for mass planting for greening on slopes and roadsides, and is also used as a hedge material. Now let us take a look at how to grow the Cherokee rose!

Growth habits of the Cherokee rose

The Cherokee rose is distributed in Shaanxi, Gansu, Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Xizang and other places, and grows wild or is cultivated in all these areas. It prefers a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight, has strong adaptability, is relatively cold-tolerant, slightly shade-tolerant, and is not demanding about soil, but fertile sandy loam is best.

Propagation methods of the Cherokee rose

1. Sowing: The Cherokee rose is usually harvested for seed in September, and can be sown in autumn or stored in sand until spring sowing the following year. Generally, germination occurs 20-25 days after sowing. Seeds can be used for raising seedlings, but because seed propagation is difficult to keep alive, it is generally not recommended to use seeds for cultivation. In production, softwood cuttings from the current year are mostly used for raising seedlings, as they root easily. Rare and valuable varieties are more difficult to root from cuttings.

2. Cuttings: Cherokee rose cuttings can be taken in early spring or during the plum rain season. Softwood cuttings from the current year root easily. After cutting, be sure to keep the cutting medium moist, but do not let it become too wet, otherwise rot will occur. At the same time, attention should also be paid to air humidity. Plastic film can be used to cover and maintain humidity, but care should be taken to ventilate at certain intervals.

Cultivation methods for the Cherokee rose

1. Light: The Cherokee rose likes a warm environment with plenty of sunlight, and is cold-tolerant and shade-tolerant, so when growing it, give it sufficient light and maintain a suitable growing temperature.

2. Watering: During care, the Cherokee rose needs to be guaranteed sufficient water, but note that in summer droughts it should be given plenty of water. During the flowering period, sufficient water supply should also be ensured so that it blooms abundantly and beautifully. In the rainy season, be careful to do drainage work well and avoid waterlogging, so as to prevent the roots and stems from rotting.

3. Fertilizing: In order for the Cherokee rose to grow healthily, sufficient fertilizer and water must be ensured. During the comfortable growing period, it needs frequent fertilizing, and it can be fertilized once a month. When the temperature is higher and it is relatively dry, some light fertilizer can be applied. Reduce fertilizing in winter. In addition, after flowering, a quick-acting fertilizer can be applied once or twice as a top dressing.

4. Pruning: Pruning is essential. Whether pruning overly long branches, overly dense branches, dead branches, diseased branches, spent flowers, or excess buds, it is all very necessary. Pruning can make the Cherokee rose plant shape more attractive and help with ventilation and light penetration, so the plant grows and develops better, reduces the chance of some pests and diseases occurring, and lowers nutrient consumption, leading to better flowering.

Pest and disease control of the Cherokee rose

1. Powdery mildew: Leaves, petioles, young shoots and flower buds can all be affected. In the early stage of the disease, spray 20% triadimefon emulsifiable concentrate at 1000 times dilution, or 20% triadimefon-sulfur suspension concentrate at 1000 times dilution, or 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 800 times dilution. If resistance to the above fungicides develops, switch to spraying 12.5% myclobutanil emulsifiable concentrate or 30% triflumizole wettable powder at 3000 times dilution. Before buds sprout in early spring, spray 2-3 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture or 45% crystalline lime sulfur at 40-50 times dilution to kill overwintering pathogens.

2. Black spot: Black spot mainly infects the leaves, petioles and young shoots of the Cherokee rose. When the leaves first become diseased, purple-brown to brown small spots appear on the upper surface, and after expanding they mostly become round or irregular dark brown lesions. When black spot occurs on the Cherokee rose, pesticides such as carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl, and daconil can be sprayed.

3. Anthracnose: Anthracnose mostly occurs sporadically, and can be controlled at the same time when controlling black spot and leaf spot. In late autumn and early winter, clean the garden in time, collect diseased fallen leaves and burn them in a centralized manner. Strengthen care, prune appropriately, and thin out overly dense branches so that ventilation and light penetration are good. When necessary, spray 20% longkejun suspension concentrate at 500 times dilution, or 78% kebo wettable powder at 600 times dilution, 75% daconil wettable powder at 600 times dilution, 50% shibaogong or shibaike wettable powder at 1000 times dilution, or 25% tanteling wettable powder at 500 times dilution.

4. Scarab beetles: Scarab beetles mainly damage roots, leaves, flower buds and other parts, seriously affecting flower yield and quality. Use light traps, willow and poplar traps, shaking to capture and kill, and so on. When damage is severe, spray 2.5% deltamethrin at 2000-3000 times dilution or 50% phoxim at 1000-1500 times dilution. The results are both relatively good, but it must never be sprayed during the flowering period.

5. Leaf rust: Leaf rust is a common disease of the Cherokee rose, and both leaves and new branches may become diseased. Severe cases can cause large areas of leaves to fall off, causing the ornamental plant to lose its ornamental value, or even die. If this disease is found, deal with it promptly. Triadimefon at 800 times dilution can be used for foliar spraying once a week for 3-4 consecutive times, and the disease can basically be cured.