A Mutabilis bloom changes from yellow to pink and then crimson as it ages. This old China rose repeats its flowers through the growing season and grows into a large, handsome shrub.
What Is the Mutabilis Rose?
Mutabilis is an old China rose, introduced before 1894, and China roses are best known for repeat blooming. It grows as a medium shrub and reaches a symmetrical seven feet tall and seven feet wide at maturity, so it fills a lot of space.
The flowers are single, flat and medium sized, with one circular row of petals. They open pale yellow or peach gold, slowly shift to pink and finally turn crimson, which is where the name comes from.
Fragrance is slight to none. The appeal is color, and the shrub’s shape is attractive even without pruning.
From the almanac
Roses in your state
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Midwest
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Pacific Northwest
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Where Does the Mutabilis Rose Grow Best?
Mutabilis is winter hardy in USDA zones 6 through 9, which covers a wide band of the country but leaves out the coldest northern yards. Here is how that plays out by region.
- The Deep South and Gulf Coast: Check your exact hardiness zone before planting in this region. It keeps blooming right through summer’s heat.
- The Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley: Local hardiness zones vary across this region, so check your exact zone before planting.
- The Upper Midwest and northern New England: The rose is hardy in zones 6-9.
The state selector shown just below this section takes you to the page for your state, where the local timing is laid out.
How to Care for the Mutabilis Rose Through the Year
Spring Wake-Up
Give it ample room from the start, since a shrub that reaches seven feet across crowds anything planted too close.
Pruning
Mutabilis looks good even without pruning, so cut for a purpose, not out of habit. Its growth habit and shape remain attractive even without pruning.
For a striking accent, it can be pruned into a miniature tree, and a rose tree can reach 8′ to 10′ in height.
Bloom Season
Flushes of bloom come in spring, summer and fall. Because the flowers pass through three color phases, one shrub carries yellow, pink and crimson blossoms together, so leave the aging flowers on for the full effect.
Summer
Heat does not stop the flowering.
Autumn
The last flush arrives in fall. Enjoy it as the flowers shift from yellow to pink and crimson.
Winter
Zone 6 is the cold edge of the stated hardiness range. Use your state page to check local winter-care advice.
Mutabilis Rose Diseases and Weak Points
Its size is an important consideration. This cultivar needs ample room to perform its best, and a cramped planting loses the symmetrical shape that makes it attractive.
Its strengths are vigor and versatility. It works as a hedge or a mass planting, and it keeps flowering through summer heat.
| Threat | How Mutabilis handles it |
|---|---|
| Summer heat | Keeps producing flushes of bloom through the heat |
| Winter cold | Hardy in zones 6-9; colder yards fall outside its stated range |
| Crowding | Needs ample room for its seven by seven foot form |
Fragrance is another thing to know before buying, since the blossoms have little or no scent.
Is the Mutabilis Rose Right for Your Yard?
It suits a yard with space for a seven-foot shrub and a gardener who wants steady color without much fuss. It is a poor match for a narrow bed, a spot where scent matters, or a garden colder than its stated hardiness range.
- A hedge or mass planting uses its vigor well, and successive flushes bring color from spring through fall.
- A pruned rose tree gives a focal point, and an underplanting of shade-tolerant annuals finishes the look.
- Planting and pruning times vary by location, so check the timing for your area before you buy.
Common Questions
Does the Mutabilis Rose Have a Scent?
Very little. The blossoms have little or no fragrance, so plan on color rather than perfume.
Can You Grow a Mutabilis Rose as a Small Tree?
Yes. It can be pruned into a miniature tree, and a rose tree can reach 8′ to 10′ in height.
Why Do the Flowers on One Mutabilis Rose Have Different Colors?
Each bloom changes as it ages, from yellow or peach gold to pink and then crimson. A shrub with flowers of different ages shows all three colors together.