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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

Do not plant. Listed invasive in West Virginia.

At a glance

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

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

Forest edges and thickets

Landscape label QS:Lit,"Paesaggio" label QS:Lhu,"Tájkép" label QS:Lca,"Paisatge" label QS:Lde,"Landschaft" label QS:Lpt,"Paisagem" label QS:Lda,"Landskab" label QS:Lsl,"Krajina" label QS:Lja,"風景" label QS:Lsv,"Landskap" label QS:Lpl,"Pejzaż" label QS:Luk,"Пейзаж" label QS:Lnl,"Landschap" label QS:Les,"Paisaje" label QS:Ltr,"Manzara" label QS:Lfi,"Maisema" label QS:Len,"Landscape" label QS:Lfr,"Paysage" label QS:Lmk,"Предел" label QS:Lru,"Пейзаж"
Paul Sawyier, Landscape: young trees and shrubs in autumn colour crowding the rocky edge of a Kentucky woodland. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Kentucky (Paul Sawyier, Landscape; Johnson Collection), a neighboring state.Landscape label QS:Lit,"Paesaggio" label QS:Lhu,"Tájkép" label QS:Lca,"Paisatge" label QS:Lde,"Landschaft" label QS:Lpt,"Paisagem" label QS:Lda,"Landskab" label QS:Lsl,"Krajina" label QS:Lja,"風景" label QS:Lsv,"Landskap" label QS:Lpl,"Pejzaż" label QS:Luk,"Пейзаж" label QS:Lnl,"Landschap" label QS:Les,"Paisaje" label QS:Ltr,"Manzara" label QS:Lfi,"Maisema" label QS:Len,"Landscape" label QS:Lfr,"Paysage" label QS:Lmk,"Предел" label QS:Lru,"Пейзаж", Paul Sawyier, c. 1890-1917. Public domain. Source record. scaled to 1280 x 1052 by the Wikimedia thumbnailer from 1440 x 1184; no crop or other change

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

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

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. 102 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (49)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

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
9BirdsRecorded eating Rosa in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Birds that eat Rosa 9

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

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

Conservation status

West Virginia rankSNA
Global rankGNR
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources