Fourth of July Rose: Size, Zones, Pruning and Care

Red-and-white striped blooms make Fourth of July easy to recognize on a fence or arbor. It blooms repeatedly throughout the season.

What Is the Fourth of July Rose?

Fourth of July is a hybrid large-flowered climbing rose, sometimes sold as a climbing floribunda. It sends up long canes that need a fence, trellis or arbor to hold them. Width stays modest at 2-6 feet, so it suits a post or a narrow wall.

The semi-double flowers are velvety red with white stripes and yellow stamens, which is what sets it apart from solid-color climbers. They open in large clusters and repeat through the season.

In northern climates the plant can also be grown as a shrub rather than trained upward, which is useful where a tall climber would struggle through winter.

Where Does the Fourth of July Rose Grow Best?

The rose is listed for USDA zones 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a and 9b. That covers a large part of the country, though the edges behave differently.

• Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin): Compare your USDA zone with the cultivar’s listed range before planting. Where it does survive, treat it as a shrub rather than a tall climber.
• Mid-Atlantic and Southeast (Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia): Compare your USDA zone with the cultivar’s listed range before planting. Canes reach full height and bloom through summer into fall.
• Gulf Coast (Louisiana, Texas, Florida Panhandle): Compare your USDA zone with the cultivar’s listed range before planting. It has high tolerance to black spot and mildew.
• Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington): Provide a fence, trellis or arbor for the long canes.

The state selector just below this section leads to the page for your state, with local months and timing.

How to Care for the Fourth of July Rose Through the Year

Waking Up

New growth starts when the weather warms and the buds on the canes begin to swell. Check the canes for winter damage as growth resumes.

Pruning

This rose blooms repeatedly throughout the season. Train the long canes on a fence, trellis or arbor.

Bloom

Flowers arrive in large sprays, with the season running from June to October. Remove spent clusters to keep new buds coming.

Summer

Water deeply at the base of the plant and keep the leaves dry, because wet foliage invites fungus even on a tolerant variety. Mulch the root zone to hold moisture. Check that ties are not cutting into canes as they thicken.

Fall

Let the final flowers finish naturally, then rake fallen leaves from the base so they do not carry problems into spring.

Winter

In northern climates, Fourth of July can be grown as a shrub.

Fourth of July Rose Diseases and Weak Points

Fourth of July is rated as disease resistant. It has high tolerance to black spot and mildew.

Resistance lowers the risk but does not erase it, so good airflow and watering at the soil still count.

At the cold edge of its listed range, check the plant for winter damage.

Is the Fourth of July Rose Right for Your Yard?

It suits a gardener with a sunny fence, arbor or post who wants height without a wide spread. It asks for a little tying and pruning, not constant work. It fits poorly in a cramped bed or a very cold yard.

• Choose it for a wall, fence or pillar that has room for 10-14 feet of upward growth.
• Skip it for a small border where a tall climber would crowd other plants.
• Open the state page for your state before planting, to see the months that fit your local climate.

Common Questions

Is the Fourth of July Rose Fragrant?

Yes, the flowers carry a sweet apple scent. Plant it near a seat, a gate or a window you leave open, where the fragrance can drift to you.

Where Does the Fourth of July Rose Come From?

Tom Carruth of the United States bred it, and Weeks Wholesale Rose Grower released it in 1999. It is sold under the code name WEKroalt.

Can You Grow the Fourth of July Rose as a Shrub?

Yes, in northern climates it can be grown that way. Grow it as a shrub rather than training the canes upward.