Cherokee Rose

Just about this time last year, I persuaded Son to go on a hike with me. I was on a mission! Off we went, trotting through the underbrush armed with a shovel! The previous Spring, I had seen a white rose blooming far back in the woods near the creekbed. This rose was a wild Cherokee Rose and I so wanted to have one in the rose garden. Convincing anyone that a wildflower is worth making our way through the brambles was a chore within itself. Still, I persisted and once all was said and done, it was not too difficult and the rose bush has become sort of a pride and joy of Son's!

When we finally made it through the briers to the spot where I remembered seeing the rose vines, Son looked at me in bewilderment. "You want me to dig up that?" he asked. I assured Michael that the bush would not be that hard and that these wild roses were far more resilient than those wimpy, little store-bought versions. "Yes! That is the one!" So he dug. The bush/vine came out relatively easy but I had not accounted for its ungainly length! This thing had grown to the tops of the Black Gum trees that filled the creekbed. It was a good twenty feet long! Michael started pulling....and pulling...and, well, pulling! I did not have the foresight to bring the snips to trim the rose back a bit. This would have made it far easier to finagle the thing through the woods! After a few minutes of struggling with this strapping vine, Michael gave me a quick glance before smacking it with the shovel. "There..." he grinned. A shortened version of my rose vine was soon carted out of the woods. I was not at all sure this thing would now survive, but instead of being hindered..it has thrived! I am elated and so thrilled with this beautiful addition to the garden and Michael is proud of his handiwork in acquiring it! The Cherokee Rose is filling one of the arbors of the rose garden with healthy canes and just recently has burst into bloom. This hardy rose is the first to bloom this season with the other roses just setting new leaves and a few tiny buds.

Just a few notes about the Cherokee Rose.

~Its name comes from the Cherokee Indian Tribe that lived in the area where the rose is widely distributed.

~There is a legend that states that when the Trail of Tears started in 1838, the Cherokees were so distraught that many of their children were unable to survive the trek. The Elders of the Tribe prayed for a sign to give the mothers strength. The next day, a white rose sprang from the ground where each of the mother's tears fell.

~In 1916, with much support from the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs, this rose was designated as the state flower of Georgia.

~ The Cherokee Rose is often confused with the Macartney Rose. They look similar but the Cherokee Rose is not a threat to local flora. The Macartney Rose is listed as an invasive species in the entire South.