Cherokee Rose

Wendy B
by Wendy B
My teen daughter had a pet mouse for a couple of years. The little creature was greatly loved. After the pet became quite weak, we had to have her put down. My daughter, an avid viewer of The Walking Dead, was crushed. It made her feel better to be told that we would buy a Cherokee Rose to put over the grave (a part of the series, for non-viewers)...and it would become a part of the cycle of her mouse's life. (yes I know this is odd to many, BUT the mouse did purr when she pet it and lean into her fingers just like a dog would!) Here is the question, at long last...where can I find a Cherokee rose? I've been looking everywhere and nobody sells them. I know I can get one online but hate buying via the internet. I live on the Georgia line, seems like I should be able to find their state flower someplace!
  28 answers
  • GreenSoil GreenSoil on Jun 23, 2013
    Connect with you local American Rose Society www.ars.org and I am sure they will know of someone in your local area Greater Atlanta Rose Society
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jun 23, 2013
    thank you Green Soil, using your link right now and hoping! I have a friend who owns a florist checking with her wholesale person as well. At least it is progress forward! :)
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jun 23, 2013
    About to email them, sadly they don't even list it as a rose on the page though. I know it is capable of becoming a pain. I get it, but that is why they designed clippers!
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Jun 23, 2013
    It looks like it is Native to SE asia and is an introduced and Invasive Specie in the US. I find it odd that a state would adopt a non native plant as their state flower. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_laevigata BTW...Daryl is our favorite character.
  • 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) 360 Sod (Donna Dixson) on Jun 23, 2013
    weareroses.com may still carry it (Antique Rose Emporium). It is an interesting story @KMS Woodworks on how it became our state flower. I think the ladies' clubs were trying to make amends to the Cherokee people in the state (1916 is when it was adopted) or they just thought the flower was 'lovely', depends on which storybook you believe...lol.... and yes it is a PITA invasive.
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jun 23, 2013
    I know it is invasive but we have plenty of land for it to play on, it's going to be put on a bit of fencing and next to a dry rock bed. I don't think it will go rambling off to far. If it does, God bless it. I think it is beautiful and it is welcome to invade my woodland! (I will be careful)
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jun 23, 2013
    Donna, thanks for the link. They have 1, but won't ship until Fall. I will keep looking but at least I have someplace to try, if all else fails! KMS, of course Daryl is! <grins> The rest can go...just kidding, kind of!
  • Larose LoganOakes Larose LoganOakes on Jun 23, 2013
    Hi Wendy! I went online and found this list of nurseries that sell plants that are native to NC. I do not know if any of them will have what you are looking for but it is worth a shot.http://www.ncwildflower.org/index.htm Best of luck in your search!:)
  • Sue pikari Sue pikari on Jun 23, 2013
    they grow wild along the trail of tears it is a wild flower google the trail of tears
  • Larose LoganOakes Larose LoganOakes on Jun 23, 2013
    Here is another site that might be able to help you locate some Cherokee Rose.http://www.murphyconnections.com/ Good Luck!
  • Jeanine Wester Jeanine Wester on Jun 23, 2013
    I hope you find some, what a nice idea for the mouse. I had a pet rat that I just loved, he was like a tiny dog. Also, LOVE Walking Dead too :)
  • Sharon E. Hines Sharon E. Hines on Jun 23, 2013
    aw, what an endearing story. I hope you find your rose.
  • Kim T Kim T on Jun 25, 2013
    while I love your story, it's very important to NOT plant non-native, invasive plants. They choke out the native plants and make it difficult to contain if let go for even one season. I humbly urge you to rethink this, talk to a local naturalist with your daughter so she can understand why it's important to reduce the use of the invasive species. Here in Ohio we are overrun with honeysuckle and it literally chokes out all the other stuff along the river banks here. There are volunteer groups every spring that pull it up. Wile you may think your one little plant won't make a difference, it surely will. Thank you for reconsidering. I'm sure down south you have some beautiful plants native to your area. Maybe you canmake up your own story with your daughter. And BTW, I'm a huge walking dead fan and Daryl is my favorite character.
  • Larose LoganOakes Larose LoganOakes on Jun 25, 2013
    Hi Wendy! I was wondering if you or your daughter had ever seen the movie " Where the Red Fern Grows?" It is a wonderful movie and it is especially moving about a boy and his love for his two hunting dogs.There is a Cherokee legend that only an angel can plant a red fern. You might want to see if you can get one of those for the little mouse's grave.
  • Karen Young Karen Young on Jun 26, 2013
    the Antique Rose Emporium sells them online.
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jun 26, 2013
    Maybe I can keep it in a pot? Is it that the plant re-seeds and it blows or that the plant itself grows like mad? If it is just that the plant grows like mad, it is not going to go too far. I have the area completely bordered in rocks and I promise, one season will never pass without me out there. My land IS my life. If we leave here, I will dig it out.
    • See 1 previous
    • Wendy B Wendy B on Oct 15, 2016
      I never planted it. We just allowed a holly bush that planted itself to grow there. We moved from that heavenly property to a new larger one that we are busily clearing and getting ready for new creative beauties. Thank you for your response though.
  • VL. Morris VL. Morris on Jul 08, 2013
    Forget the invasive rose. How about the mouse tail plant. Very unusual cool little shade plant. Grows in zones 5-9. Vickie
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jul 08, 2013
    love the sound of a mouse tail plant...would have been just too cute but the spot is totally FULL sun! Got another mouse named plant for me?
  • VL. Morris VL. Morris on Jul 09, 2013
    Green Mouse Ear Sedum - full sun to part shade, a ground cover that blooms little yellow flowers in the spring/summer. There are hundreds of sedums, so interesting in color and shape and size. I have one that really looks like mouse ears, blue grey in color, small round leaves but I have forgotten the name. Take your daughter to the nursery, big box store, Fred Meyer, I have found some very unusual sedums in the most unlikely places, and see if there is something that speaks to her heart. Of all the plants I can think of a sedum would be one that might work.
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jul 09, 2013
    thanks, it might...it has been so difficult to find the rose that it has subsided in her thoughts. I half way want to just let it slide on and not mention it but I also need to fill the area with something, and honestly the sweet little mouse deserves something to be remembered by when we pass it.
  • Chris aka monkey Chris aka monkey on May 31, 2014
    some old roses look like that one in pic maybe the old switcheroo will work? xx
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jun 03, 2014
    I gave up after feeling I was evil incarnate....planted morning glory. I just opted not to say anything because the stuff grows wild and unruly too...we love it. I would have chosen the rose if I had found one. Thanks for your suggestion though.
  • Kristen Kristen on Oct 22, 2014
    After reading these comments just now, (Oct. 2014) I get the feeling that you will, if you have not already, found a place to buy the Cherokee Rose. You should make good on your original promise to your daughter. You will be surprised when she thanks you- when she is 35! Neither my post nor yours is about roses at all.
  • Martha Grice Martha Grice on Oct 22, 2014
    Buying plants online is not a bad way to go. I use Spring Hill Nursery (I live in zone 7 in TN) and Spring Hill sends you plants only when they will optimally grow in your zone, that is the best planting time for your area. If you have trouble with any of their plants, for any reason they will replace that plant with no questions asked. Everything is guaranteed and I have never gotten a bad plant from them. Spring Hill is pleasant, courteous and sends timely reminders about your order. I hope you find the plant you are looking for.
  • Sharon Sharon on Jan 10, 2015
    my neighbor has one and rues the day it was planted.maybe not the day but a year later. go to the botantinal gargen in athens & you will see how overbearing they become
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jan 12, 2015
    Thanks Kristen.
  • Ann Riffe Ann Riffe on Jun 26, 2016
    Try Plants Delight nursery in Raleigh, NC. They have EVERYTHING. and if they don't have it, they have something better.
  • Wendy B Wendy B on Jul 09, 2016
    absolutely and thank you!