Multiflora Rose

Rosa multiflora

Found in pastures, thickets, bottomlands, upland forests, bogs. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

-85

Severe harm

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: 10–15 feet
Spread: 14–15 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Dry to wet

Rosa multiflora — fruit photograph — (c) syvwlch, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

Do not plant. Listed invasive in West Virginia.

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Bloom: May to June
Fruiting season: September to October

JFMAMJJASOND

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 8 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 4

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 151 animals.

American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Purple Finch
Carpodacus purpureus
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
Birds. 6 shared habitats
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Birds. 6 shared habitats

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

107CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Rosa

Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
Acleris minutaLesser Apple Leaf Folder, Yellowheaded Fireworm
Acleris semipurpuranaOak Leaf Shredder, Oak Leaftier, Oak Leafshredder
Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
Acronicta fragilisFragile Dagger
Acronicta griseaGray Dagger
Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger

Show all 107

Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Ancylis floridanaStrawberry Leafroller
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Anticlea vasiliataVariable Carpet
Apamea amputatrixYellow-Headed Cutworm Moth
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Archips cerasivoranaCherry Tent Caterpillar, Cherry Worm, Ugly Nest Caterpillar
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Artace cribrariusDot-Lined White Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
Chloridea subflexaSubflexus Straw, Groundcherry Sun Moth
Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Clepsis virescanaGreeenish Apple Moth
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Coptotriche aeneaBlackberry Leafminer Moth
Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Derrima stellataPink Star
Dysstroma citrataDark Marbled Carpet
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
Euchlaena obtusariaObtuse Euchlaena
Eulithis diversilineataLesser Grapevine Looper Moth
Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
Grapholita packardiCherry Fruit Worm
Hedya nr.Large Bud Moth, Green Bud Moth, Off-White Hedya
Hedya separatanaPink-Washed Leafroller Moth
Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Hesperumia sulphurariaSulphur Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hylephila phyleusFiery Skipper
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Hyppa xylinoidesCommon Hyppa
Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
Lytrosis unitariaCommon Lytrosis
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
Metaxaglaea semitariaFootpath Sallow
Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
Proteoteras moffatianaMaple Bud Borer, Maple Shoot Borer
Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
Pyrrhia exprimensPurple-Lined Sallow, Purple-Lined Sun Moth
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Sphinx gordiusApple Sphinx
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Udea rubigalisCelery Leaftier
Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
Xylena nuperaRed Swordgrass Moth, American Swordgrass Moth, False Armyworm
Zale lunataLunate Zale
Hedya cyanana
Menesta tortriciformella
Notocelia culminana
Xenotemna pallorana

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

19BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Rosa

Alectoris chukarChukar
Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
Ectopistes migratoriusPassenger Pigeon
Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush

Show all 19

Lagopus lagopusWillow Ptarmigan
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Mimus polyglottosNorthern Mockingbird
Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
Perdix perdixGray Partridge
Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Vireo philadelphicusPhiladelphia Vireo

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Rosaceae
Flower color: Pink or white
Fruit begins: September
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Pink or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Fruit begins · “September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Height · “10–15 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Fire Effects Information System: Rosa multiflora, Minnesota Wildflowers differ)
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Spread · “14–15 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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