Climbing Rose Varieties

Miniatures

• Miniature climbing roses generally grow to approximately 10 feet tall depending on the cultivar. The flowers range in size from 1/4 to 2 inches in diameter, can be single or double form and nearly any color or combination of colors. Climbing Earthquake produces double-form blooms that are white to cream colored with red streaks. SAVaclend Rainbow's End produces double-form blooms that start out bright yellow with red around the edges and turn orange-red and eventually red as the flower matures. The majority of miniature climbers grow on their own roots, as opposed to being grafted onto root stock. This makes them slightly more cold tolerant than other types of climbing roses.

Hybrid Teas

• The hybrid tea climbing roses generally reach a height of 10 to 12 feet. They offer the same large 3- to 4-inch double flowers as the non-climbing hybrid teas in a variety of colors and color combinations. The Lynn Anderson cultivar has white flowers that are deeply edged in dark pink. The Sombreuil cultivar offers pure white flowers and the Eden Rose cultivar is a solid deep pink color. Hybrid tea climbers are not as cold hardy as the miniature climbers. They can be grown successfully in cold northern climates but require protection from freezing temperatures.

Large-flowered

• Large-flowered climbing roses vary quite a bit in mature plant and bloom size. The Meiroupis Colette cultivar stays rather short, reaching a mature height of only 5 to 7 feet with 3- to 3 1/2-inch diameter ruffled double-form pink blooms. The Lawrence Johnston cultivar reaches a mature height of 20 to 25 feet with 5-inch diameter semi-double yellow flowers. Meiroupis Colette is more cold hardy than Lawrence Johnston. There are also cultivars available that produce single-form flowers. As with other climbing rose varieties, the bloom color choices are numerous.

Polyantha

• Polyantha climbing roses are old fashioned roses dating back to the 1800s. They have small 1- to 2-inch flowers that are produced in bunches, as opposed to a single bloom per stem. The flowers can be can be single, semi-double or double in form in various shades of pink, orange, yellow, apricot, red, white or a combination of colors. The Climbing Mademoiselle Cecile Brunner cultivar produces pale pink double-form flowers that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter and grows to a height of 15 to 20 feet tall. The Fairy stays a bit shorter, reaching a height of 5 to 12 feet, and produces pink double form 1-inch flowers.