Climbing
New Dawn
Light pink · repeat-blooming · Zones 5-9
Climbing Rose
Altissimo
Single blood-red blooms.
Altissimo is a climbing rose in red that earns its place through season-long bloom and healthy, easy growth. Below you'll find a full profile of Altissimo — its characteristics, how to grow it, where to use it in the garden, and answers to the questions gardeners ask most.
About Altissimo
Grouped among the climbing roses, Altissimo shows the hallmarks of the class: cupped to full blooms carried singly or in small clusters along the canes. Because climbing roses flower most freely on horizontally trained wood, how you tie in the canes matters as much as feeding or watering.
In flower, Altissimo is red and fills the plant with bloom in wave after wave, carrying a light, pleasant fragrance. It is hardy across USDA zones 5-9, so it suits a wide range of gardens with the right seasonal care.
Characteristics and form
Altissimo makes long, arching climbing canes that are tied onto a support, typically around 8 to 15 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide. The blooms are cupped to full blooms carried singly or in small clusters along the canes, medium to large in size, set against mid- to deep-green, often glossy foliage. Knowing a rose's habit and mature size is the key to placing it well: give Altissimo room to reach its full spread without crowding its neighbors, which also keeps air moving through the plant and disease at bay.
How to grow Altissimo
Plant Altissimo where it will get at least six hours of direct sun a day in fertile, well-drained soil with good air movement around it. In cold climates, set the graft union — the swollen knob where the variety joins the rootstock — at or just below the soil line; in mild climates, keep it at soil level. Once planted, water deeply and less often to encourage deep, drought-resistant roots.
- Light: Full sun, six hours or more; morning sun is best because it dries dew early and limits disease.
- Soil: Rich and well-drained, slightly acidic at about pH 6.0–6.5. Improve heavy or sandy soil with plenty of compost before planting.
- Water: Deep, infrequent soakings at the base rather than frequent light sprinkling; more in heat, sandy soil, or containers.
- Feeding: A balanced rose fertilizer in early spring, repeated after the first flush to fuel the next.
- Pruning: Prune it in late winter to an open, outward-facing framework, then deadhead through the season.
Bloom habit: Repeat (recurrent). Altissimo blooms in repeated flushes from late spring until the first frost. Deadhead spent flowers to bring on the next wave.
Where to use Altissimo in the garden
Train Altissimo along a fence, arch, or pergola, tying the canes horizontally to draw flowers from the base to the top. Underplant it with lavender, catmint, or hardy geraniums, or pair it with a summer clematis to share the same support. For more ideas, see our guide to companion plants for roses.
Common problems and care
Give climbers good air movement and keep the base clear so foliage dries quickly and black spot is discouraged. Watch for the usual rose troubles — black spot, powdery mildew, and aphids — and head them off with good air flow, base watering, and a tidy autumn clean-up. See our full guide to rose diseases and pests for identification and treatment.
Altissimo — frequently asked questions
How big does Altissimo get?
Altissimo typically grows about 8 to 15 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide, forming a long, arching climbing canes that are tied onto a support. Its final size depends on your climate and how you prune it.
Is Altissimo fragrant?
Altissimo has a light, pleasant fragrance; it is grown more for its red color and habit than for perfume.
Does Altissimo bloom more than once a season?
Yes. Altissimo is a repeat-blooming rose that blooms in repeated flushes from late spring until the first frost, especially if it is deadheaded and fed through the summer.
What hardiness zones does Altissimo grow in?
Altissimo is hardy in USDA zones 5-9. That range describes the winter cold it can survive; gardeners colder than zone 5 should give it winter protection or grow it in a movable container.
Is Altissimo easy to grow?
Give climbers good air movement and keep the base clear so foliage dries quickly and black spot is discouraged. Give Altissimo full sun, well-drained soil, and the ordinary seasonal care any rose appreciates, and it is a straightforward rose to grow.
How and when should I prune Altissimo?
Prune Altissimo in late winter to an open, outward-facing framework, then deadhead through the season — see our step-by-step guide to pruning roses for the full method.