# Macartney's rose (*Rosa bracteata*)

Macartney's rose is a beautiful flowering plant with bright yellow flowers and sharp thorns. It grows in sunny places and can spread quickly, making it a lovely addition to gardens.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Macartney's rose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rosa_bracteata_1.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Cillas, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosa_bracteata_1.JPG)

## Appearance

The Macartney's rose has glossy, dark green leaves and large, pure white, single flowers with prominent yellow stamens. Its stems are armed with sharp, hooked thorns, making it a formidable climbing or sprawling shrub. The flowers often have a citrusy scent.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Rosales
- **Family:** Rosaceae
- **Genus:** Rosa

## Interesting facts

- It can grow so fast, some call it a 'living fence' that's tough to get through!
- Its large, pure white flowers look like porcelain plates against dark green leaves!
- The bright red rose hips, called 'heps,' are packed with more Vitamin C than oranges!
- This rose's name honors Lord Macartney, who brought it to Europe from China!

## Special abilities

- **Thorned Armor:** Macartney's rose has fierce, hooked thorns that help it climb over other plants and protect it from hungry browsers.
- **Evergreen Shield:** Its leathery, evergreen leaves help Macartney's rose photosynthesize year-round, even in mild winters.
- **Rapid Spreader:** Macartney's rose can root easily from its stems, allowing it to rapidly spread and colonize new ground.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-600 cm
- **Spread:** 200-1000 cm
- **Flower Size:** 5-7 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Its large, bright flowers offer nectar and pollen.
- **Pollinates:** Common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — These important native bees are frequent visitors to its blooms.
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer may browse on its leaves and shoots, despite its thorns.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Be careful of the thorns when touching the plant.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Macartney's rose?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Macartney's rose?

100-600 cm

### How wide does Macartney's rose spread?

200-1000 cm

### How big are the flowers on Macartney's rose?

5-7 cm

### When does Macartney's rose bloom?

Late spring to fall

### Is Macartney's rose edible?

Yes

### Is Macartney's rose toxic?

None

### What is Macartney's rose's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [George Bush Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/george-bush-park) — Texas, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Macartney's rose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/macartneys-rose)