Rose BushesA Grower's Guide to Roses
Rose Types

Climbing Roses

Climbing roses send up long, flexible canes that can be trained along walls, fences, arbors, and pergolas — few plants give more vertical color for the space they occupy.

What makes a rose a "climber"

Climbing roses are defined by long canes rather than a bushy habit. They are not true vines: they have no tendrils and cannot cling on their own, so every cane must be tied to a support. In return they cover walls, arches, and pergolas with color that a shrub rose simply cannot reach.

Two groups sit under this heading. Climbers are mostly modern, repeat-blooming, and reach eight to twelve feet. Ramblers are more vigorous, usually bloom once in a spectacular early-summer flush, and can swallow a large structure. Knowing which you have determines how and when you prune.

Quick tip: Train canes as close to horizontal as you can. Bending a cane toward horizontal triggers flowering side shoots along its whole length, giving you bloom from the base up instead of only at the top.

Growing climbing roses well

Give climbers full sun, rich and well-drained soil, and a sturdy support installed before planting. Feed in early spring, water deeply during establishment, and tie in new canes as they grow. Most repeat-flowering climbers are pruned lightly in late winter; ramblers are pruned right after they finish blooming.

Popular climbing roses

The 59 roses below are among the most widely grown and dependable in this group. Each profile covers color, fragrance, size, hardiness, and how to grow it well.