How to tell the difference between Chinese rose, rose, and climbing rose? A few tricks to tell them apart easily

Chinese rose, rose, and climbing rose all belong to the sister flowers of the genus Rosa in the family Rosaceae. Because of their similar forms, they are easily confused by the gardening public, especially since Chinese roses have many varieties, and some flower shapes are very similar to roses and climbing roses. Combined with the misleading of some flower shop merchants, many consumers take Chinese roses for roses and climbing roses for Chinese roses, and in the end Chinese rose, rose, and climbing rose are hopelessly confused.

Chinese rose flower picture

Rose flower picture

Climbing rose flower picture

Personally, I think that in the large family of Chinese rose, rose, and climbing rose, the Chinese rose can be called the leader. Chinese rose is also called yueyuehong, named because it can bloom all year round. Together with carnation, gladiolus, and chrysanthemum, it is known as one of the world's four major cut flowers, while roses and climbing roses bloom only once a year. Chinese roses are mostly used for ornamental purposes because of their high beauty and long flowering period, while roses have a lower ornamental value because their flowering period is shorter, blooming only once in summer, with a normal flowering period of 1~2 months (usually a rose cut from the branch will decline in one day, and the flower stalk is shorter, so the roses you buy in a flower shop are not roses, but Chinese roses). However, because rose flowers have a rich fragrance, they are usually used to make essential oils and various fragrances, while only a few varieties of Chinese rose can be used to make essential oils, such as Zhumo Shuanghui, commonly known as dark red rose, which is as fragrant as a rose. Climbing rose also blooms once every summer, and besides being ornamental, it can also be used in industry to extract climbing rose essential oil.

A Chinese rose variety from which essential oil can be extracted: Zhumo Shuanghui

Classic Chinese rose variety: Pink Dragon Sand Gem

Chinese rose flowers are borne singly at the top, and some are also borne in clusters of several flowers. The flower diameter is usually more than 5 cm, and the leaflets are 3~5. The leaf surface is glossy and flat, the flower stalk is long, and the flowering period is lasting. Rose flowers are large and often solitary, with 5~9 leaflets, and the leaf surface is wrinkled and lusterless. The underside of the leaves and the surface of the stems are mostly downy. Climbing rose small flowers are borne in clusters of 6~7 at the top of the branches, with a flower diameter of about 3 cm and 5~9 leaflets. The leaves are flat but have soft hairs, and the leaf margins are toothed. It is easy to climb.

One of the ten most fragrant Chinese roses: Mister Lincoln

Like climbing roses, Chinese roses have relatively large stem thorns that are generally hooked, with roughly 3~4 on each node. Large-flowered Chinese rose varieties have thick, upright stems and large thorns, while floribunda varieties have slightly thinner stems and fewer thorns. Climbing rose stems are slender, and both stems and branches have thorns, while rose stems are densely covered with down and needle-like fine hard prickles, and the stems are black. Most Chinese rose branches are strongly upright, and the stems are low. Rose stems are thick and densely covered with bristles and recurved prickles. Climbing rose plants are taller, with light and long stems, and the branches are trailing or climbing.

Chinese rose fruit

Rose fruit

Climbing rose fruit

The fruit of the Chinese rose is oval or pear-shaped, and orange-red when mature. The fruit of the rose is flat-round, and brick-red when mature. The fruit of the climbing rose is oval, and orange when mature. After the Chinese rose and rose flowers fade, the sepals do not fall off, while after the climbing rose flowers fade, the sepals fall off.