SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rosa 'Peggy Martin'

COMMON NAME: Peggy Martin Climbing Rose

GARDEN SIZE: 6-10 feet tall x 12-15 feet wide

GROWTH RATE: Fast, very vigorous

USDA ZONE: 4b-9b

EXPOSURE: Full sun - 4-6 hours of direct sun per day, ideally in the morning

WATER & SOIL: Medium, consistent water; avoid wetting leaves when possible. Prefers well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic soil with plenty of organic matter.

HABIT (FORM): Can be grown as a vigorous climber or rambling shrub

FOLIAGE: Deciduous; matte, dark green leaves made up of 3-7 leaflets. The leaf backs have prickles, but the canes are thornless.

FLOWER COLOR: Medium pink

FLOWER FORM: Semi-double to double

PETAL COUNT: 16-25 petals

FLOWER SIZE: 2-3 inches

BLOOM TIME: Late spring to early summer with occasional reblooming later in the season

REBLOOMING: Some

FLOWER ARRANGEMENT: Large clusters

FRAGRANCE: Moderate

PLANT ORIGIN: Indigenous to Asia and Europe, but hybridized all over the world for thousands of years

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: Limited - Most roses have little utility as hosts for local insects and wildlife, since they are heavily hybridized plants from other parts of the world. Flowers may provide food for pollinators while blooming.

FERTILIZING: Fertilize monthly during spring and summer by top-dressing with compost or applying any nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Stop fertilizing in fall to allow the plant to go dormant for winter.

PRUNING: Climbing roses tend to require less pruning than other roses, especially if you want your climber to grow tall. Prune reblooming varieties in late winter or early spring while dormant, and remove spent blooms during the growing season to encourage reblooming. For single blooming varieties, prune just after flowering to avoid removing next year’s flower buds. When pruning, remove dead branches and older canes that no longer produce flowers. Keep in mind that climbing roses don’t naturally cling to walls, so you'll need to fasten the canes to a support structure such as a trellis or arbor. Place supports at least a few inches away from walls to promote airflow. For more detailed advice on pruning and shaping roses, many helpful resources are available online.

TOXICITY FLAGS: Roses are non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Ingesting too much plant matter may cause mild gastrointestinal symptoms. Thorns can create small cuts if your pet rubs against them, and can damage the digestive tract if eaten. Remember to also check the safety of any fertilizers or pesticides used on your roses.

USES: Ornamental specimen that climbs arbors, trellises, and walls; Cut flowers

DISEASE PREVENTION: Fungal diseases like black spot and powdery mildew can be a persistent nuisance for Middle Tennessee rose growers. Here are some tips to limit fungal infections:

Avoid letting water sit on the leaves when possible. Water around the base of the plant rather than getting the leaves wet (though nature sometimes has its own plans).

Always use clean tools. Disinfect pruners between every cut using rubbing alcohol or a 10% bleach solution (i.e. 1 ounce bleach + 9 ounces water).

Space roses to promote good airflow and reduce the risk of disease transmission from one plant to the next.

Regularly remove fallen leaves and debris from around the base of the plant. Replace winter mulch in spring.

In late winter, coat the entire plant with dormant oil to suffocate pests and control diseases.

If you have persistent problems with fungal diseases, consider regular applications of an anti-fungal spray like copper fungicide or neem oil as a preventative measure.

Another rose pathogen to keep on your radar is Rose Rosette Disease. Caused by a virus and spread by microscopic mites, it currently has no known cure. Symptoms include deformed, reddish new leaves, excessive thorn production, and stunted growth. If your rose bush is infected, immediately remove, bag, and dispose of the entire plant to contain the spread of infection.

PARENTAGE: Unknown

HISTORY: The Peggy Martin rose is famous for surviving two weeks underwater in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. At the time of the 2005 hurricane, it was growing at the home of Peggy Martin, a Louisiana gardener who had grown the then-unnamed rose from cuttings given to her by friends in New Orleans. Over 400 roses were growing in Martin's garden at the time of the storm. When the flood subsided, this rose was the only one to survive.

Following of the disaster, Texas A&M professor Dr. William C. Welch worked with six different rose growers to propagate and distribute the resilient rose, naming it 'Peggy Martin' after the gardener who had given him the original cuttings. For a while, one dollar from the sale of each plant was donated to garden restoration projects in hurricane-damaged areas.

Peggy Martin roses now adorn fences, walls, and arbors throughout the American south, serving as a low-maintenance, nigh-unkillable rose that's accessible to novice growers, as well as a symbol of the resilience of the region affected by Hurricane Katrina.