Banksian rose

Banksian rose: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Vigorous rambler with long, flexible, green stems; against a wall 6–8 m tall and 3–4 m wide.

Leaves

Small and glossy, with 3–5 narrow leaflets; in mild winters some stay on the plant.

Flower

Small flowers 2–3 cm across in clusters, yellow or white, single or double, in May–June.

Scent

Light in the yellow ‘Lutea’, sweet and violet-like in the white forms.

Thorns

Almost thornless: the stems are smooth and green.

Flowering: May–June · Plants: April–May and September · Pruning: June–July

Why grow it?

• A spectacular display in May, like a waterfall of small yellow or white flowers.
• Almost no thorns: pleasant to prune and tie in, even beside a path or patio.
• Covers a large wall, pergola or carport completely.
• Less prone to black spot than many other roses.
• The single-flowered forms are an early food source for bees; the white forms smell of violets.

Banksian rose: where does it grow best?

• Full sun, against a warm south- or west-facing wall.
• Well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, slightly acid to chalky.
• Dry to normally moist; it dislikes cold, wet soil in winter.
• Sheltered from cold east and north winds.
• Allow 3–4 m of wall width and sturdy wires or a pergola.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

8 m tall, 4 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -12 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Italian clematis: Flowers through the rose in summer, after its May display.
• Lavender: Fragrant and purple at the foot of the warm wall.
• Bearded iris: Flowers in May–June together with the rose, in the same sunny, dry spot.
• Rosemary: Evergreen and fragrant, for the same warm wall base.

Banksian rose: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September.

1. Plant in April–May or September, in a warm, sheltered spot.
2. Dig a generous hole 30–40 cm from the wall, where the soil dries out less, and mix in compost.
3. Plant at the same depth as in the pot; if it is grafted, the graft union should sit just below the soil.
4. Fix horizontal wires to the wall beforehand, 30–40 cm apart.
5. Lean the stems towards the wires and tie them in loosely.
6. Water generously straight away and mulch the base with compost.

Care

Watering

Regularly in dry spells in the first year; at the foot of a wall the soil often stays dry.

Feeding

In March–April, compost or an organic rose fertiliser.

Tying in

In summer, tie the long new shoots in as horizontally as possible: they will form more flowering side shoots.

Mulching

A layer of compost in spring keeps the soil cool and moist.

Patience

A young plant usually flowers sparsely for the first few years; flowering gets richer with age.

Tip: Plant it against a warm, sheltered south-facing wall and prune only straight after flowering, as it flowers on old wood. Give a young plant a few years to get going properly.

Banksian rose: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June–July.

When: Prune straight after flowering, in June–July. It flowers on stems that are a year old or more.

How:

• Cut flowered side shoots back to a few buds above the main stem.
• Each year, remove a few of the oldest, least productive stems, at the base or above a strong young shoot.
• Tie in the new long shoots: these will flower next year.
• Remove dead or frosted stems as soon as you see them.

Caution: Do not prune in winter or spring: you would cut off this year’s flower buds.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

In August–September: 15–20 cm cuttings of this year’s wood, in a pot of sandy cutting compost, in a cold frame or under plastic. They usually root well.

Layering

In summer, peg a long, low stem into the soil; sever it after a year.

Banksian rose: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −12 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Moderately hardy, to about −12 °C: in cold Belgian winters it can be cut back by frost.
• Protect young plants with a thick layer of mulch or straw at the base and, in hard frost, fleece over the stems.
• After a severe winter it usually regrows from the base or the older stems; cut out the frosted wood.
• In mild winters it keeps some of its leaves.

Diseases and pests

• Aphids: On young shoots and buds in spring. Hose them off; ladybirds help.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in dry weather against a warm wall. Water at the base and allow good air flow.
• Frost damage: Brown, dead stems after a severe winter. Cut them back to healthy wood; the plant usually regrows.
• Few flowers: Caused by a young plant, too much shade or pruning at the wrong time. Give it time and a sunny wall, and prune only after flowering.

Through the year

• March: Add compost. Cut out frosted stems.
• April: Planting. Tie in young shoots.
• May: Full flowering.
• June: Last flowers. Prune straight afterwards.
• July: Pruning and tying in new shoots.
• August: Water in dry weather. Take cuttings.
• September: Planting. Take cuttings.
• November: Mulch or straw around the base of young plants.
• December: Cover young plants with fleece in hard frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The rose is named after Lady Dorothea Banks, wife of the English botanist Sir Joseph Banks.
• In Tombstone, Arizona, there is a Banksian rose planted in 1885 that is considered one of the largest rose bushes in the world; it covers an entire pergola.
• The first Banksian roses to reach Europe in the early 19th century were double forms from Chinese gardens; the wild, single-flowered form was only described later.