Queen Elizabeth rose

Sun

Full sun, with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily; good air circulation helps limit leaf diseases.

Water

Water deeply during dry spells, keeping the root zone moist but not waterlogged. Newly planted roses need regular watering through their first growing season.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter; slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal. Avoid persistently wet ground.

Height

5-8 ft (1.5-2.4 m), sometimes taller in mild climates

Spread

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m)

Flowers

Clear pink, double flowers in repeat flushes from late spring or early summer into autumn; lightly fragrant.

Foliage

Glossy, dark green, compound leaves with toothed leaflets; normally deciduous, though some leaves may persist in mild winters.

Growth

Moderate to fast once established

Care needed

Medium

• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.8 ft (0.86 m)

3. After 2 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

4. After 3 years

   5 ft (1.6 m)

5. After 5 years

   6 ft (2 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Water at soil level rather than over the leaves, especially during dry weather.
• Apply a rose fertiliser as spring growth begins and again after the first flowering flush, following the label; avoid late feeding in cold climates.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of compost or well-rotted manure over the root area each spring, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Deadhead spent flower clusters to a strong leaf or outward-facing bud to encourage another flush.
• Remove suckers arising from below the graft union at their point of origin.
• In colder parts of its range, protect the crown or graft union with a winter mound of soil or compost after the plant becomes dormant.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, as buds begin to swell and the risk of severe frost eases, remove dead, damaged and crossing stems. Shorten the remaining strong stems by roughly one-third to one-half, cutting just above outward-facing buds.

Late autumn

Plant dormant bare-root roses where the soil remains workable and is not waterlogged; in very cold regions, wait until spring.

Winter

Check winter protection in cold regions and remove fallen diseased leaves.

Late winter to early spring

Prune before strong new growth develops, delaying where severe frosts remain likely.

Spring

Feed as growth starts, mulch the root area and water newly planted bushes regularly.

Early summer

Deadhead the first flush and apply a second feed according to the product label.

Summer

Water deeply in dry spells and check young shoots and leaves for aphids, black spot and mildew.

Early autumn

Stop feeding in cold climates so new growth can mature before winter.

• Place at the back of a sunny mixed border, where its height lifts pink flowers above lower perennials.
• Repeat several bushes along a path or boundary to create an upright flowering rhythm.
• Use in a formal rose bed with low edging that does not crowd the stems.
• Pair with catmint, hardy geraniums or lavender to soften the often bare lower stems.
• Include in a cutting garden for long-stemmed pink flowers.

Garden styles it suits: English country, Traditional, Formal, Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden and Pastel border.

Plant it with: Catmint, Hardy geranium, Lavender, Lady's mantle, Salvia and Allium.

Wildlife: The dense double flowers offer less accessible pollen than open, single roses. Aphids on the shoots can support ladybirds, lacewings and other predators; hips may develop if flowers are left uncut, but are not its main wildlife value.

• Black spot causes dark leaf spots, yellowing and premature leaf fall. Collect fallen leaves, water at ground level and keep the bush open to airflow; use a locally approved rose fungicide if repeated severe infection warrants it.
• Powdery mildew coats young leaves and shoots with white growth. Keep roots evenly moist, avoid excess nitrogen and remove badly affected shoot tips.
• Aphids gather on soft shoots and buds. Wash them off with water, encourage predators and use insecticidal soap labelled for roses if infestations persist.
• Rose rosette disease, chiefly a concern in North America, causes abnormal red shoots, excessive thorniness and distorted clustered growth. Seek local confirmation, then remove infected plants promptly; there is no cure.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Thorns can puncture skin, mouths and paws, and eating plant material may cause mild stomach upset; roses treated with garden pesticides should not be eaten.

• Climbing Queen Elizabeth rose (Rosa 'Climbing Queen Elizabeth')

  This climbing sport has similar pink flowers but develops much longer canes that need support and training; ordinary Queen Elizabeth forms a self-supporting upright bush.

• Bewitched rose (Rosa 'Bewitched')

  Another tall pink rose, but its flowers are usually more strongly fragrant and borne singly on long stems rather than in the characteristic clusters of Queen Elizabeth.

The cultivar was named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II and introduced in 1954.

Propagation. Take softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, or hardwood cuttings from mature shoots in autumn. Commercial plants are often budded onto rootstocks; seedlings will not reliably retain the cultivar's characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Rosa

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.