Unfortunately, this monster plant was brought over to North America from Japan, and it is native also to Korea. This Japanese Multiflora Rose was brought over to be a root stock for cultivated rose scions. It was also spread around in parts of the USA by the old Soil Conservation Service, with the mistaken idea it would be good for soil stabilization. They should have chosen some native species as Gray Dogwood to do a better job and not allow such an invasive species to go crazy in becoming one of the major shrub species in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and some of the northern South, growing wild along forest edges and in fields. It even likes to invade residential yards. When it is leafed out and blooming it can look good sometimes. It has the habit of partially climbing up into trees with long, vine-like branches. As a Rose can be, it is nasty to touch with all of the thorns. I do enjoy cutting this species down with loppers and shears and then axing the base area into the ground when I work in winter time at removing or lessening invasive woody plants, as volunteer work. I do the same with its common companions of Amur honeysuckle, Autumn-Olive, Winged Euonymus, Privets, Common Buckthorn, Oriental Bittersweet vine, and Japanese Honeysuckle vine. I'm glad the new Rose Rosette Disease is attacking it, (I wish the deer would eat it), and where this Japanese Rose is common, the disease is also more common to attack cultivated roses. I believe native species roses as Virginia Rose, Carolina Rose, Swamp Rose, etc. are resistant.

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I have not found this to be invasive in the Pacific NW, and don't find it on our invasive species list. I have a fairly thick stand of it, which has increased over the years, but not overly aggressively. I use it as a pleasant visual screen barrier between my side yard and the neighbor. It does need some room - my hedge is about 8' wide and 20' long. Birds use the hedge for nesting, and it gets lovely big hips in the fall.

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Invasive and difficult to remove once established. Seeds are spread by birds.

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The scent of Rosa multiflora in bloom is wonderful, sweet and not too strong. I think the small single flowers are very pretty also. Rosa multiflora is a once bloomer. It blooms in spring or early in summer and then it is done blooming for the year. After that, it sets lots of small rose hips.

Birds love Rosa multiflora for nesting. For years I had catbirds nesting in my multiflora. Eventually I was able to dig out all of the Rosa multiflora bushes on the property and it has not come back, but there are some growing in my neighbor's yard.

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Easy to grow from seeds or cuttings. Small, single, fragrant white flowers in late spring in huge numbers. Good for cut flower use, the flowers also attract bees and butterflies. The pea-sized rosehips turn from green to vibrant orange-red in late summer and last throughout the winter until the next early spring. The twigs with red fruit are excellent as cut flowers in outdoor winter planters as filler or indoors as cut flowers in vases. The twigs with red fruit also can be used dry as gift wrap decorations. The smooth, thornless canes are very friendly to gardeners. Fast growing, so it can be invasive.

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