Vine
Lady Banks' Rose
Rosa banksiae · Rosaceae
Also called: Lady Banks Rose, Banksia Rose, Tombstone Rose
Lady Banks' Rose (Rosa banksiae) is a low-water vine well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun for best bloom, with a fast growth rate.
Lady Banks' Rose at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun for best bloom; tolerates light shade. Handles reflected heat well.
- Mature size
- 15-25 ft H x 15-20 ft W (vigorous climbing/arching canes; needs strong support)
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Pale yellow ('Lutea') or white ('Alba Plena', which is fragrant); the yellow form is nearly scentless, Spring, a single spectacular flush (typically March-April in Tucson); generally does not rebloom
- Cold hardiness
- Very cold-hardy for a rose, to about 10-15 F or lower (USDA zones 6/7-9); fully hardy in Tucson with no frost concern.
- Soil
- Adaptable; tolerates alkaline desert soils but performs best in well-drained, improved soil with mulch.
- Native range
- Central and western China
- Best used as
- Arbor, ramada, and large trellis cover, Wall and fence cover, Shade and screening over patios, Heritage/historic landscape feature
- Wildlife
- Provides shelter/nesting cover for birds; flowers attract bees.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic; roses are not poisonous to people or pets.
How to grow Lady Banks' Rose in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Water deeply and regularly to establish; once established it is relatively drought-tolerant but blooms and grows best with deep irrigation every week or two in the warm season. Reduce in winter.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Apply a balanced or rose fertilizer in late winter before the spring flush; a follow-up feeding after bloom supports vegetative growth. Iron chelate corrects chlorosis in alkaline soils.
Pruning & care
Prune only after the spring bloom, since flowers form on old (second-year) wood; pruning in winter removes the coming season's blooms. Thin and shape after flowering and remove the oldest canes to renew. Nearly thornless, making it easy to handle.
Notes
Among the toughest, most disease-resistant, and longest-lived roses for the low desert; the famous 'Tombstone Rose' in Tombstone, Arizona is the world's largest rose plant. Nearly thornless and evergreen to semi-evergreen in Tucson. Trains as a climber rather than a true clinging vine and needs sturdy support. Spectacular but brief single spring bloom.
Sources: AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; Tohono Chul / Tucson Botanical Gardens