Rosa x multiflora Maria Lisa - Multiflora Climbing Rose

The 'Maria Lisa' Rose, also known as Rosa x multiflora 'Maria Liesa', is a sarmentous rose bush and an excellent choice for large gardens. Its vigorous growth produces long trailing stems almost devoid of thorns, abundantly adorned with beautiful, abundant, and very healthy matte green foliage. In June-July, it is covered in a cascade of large inflorescences filled with small semi-double flowers, in a vibrant pink colour, illuminated by a white centre. Its vigour allows it to conquer trees and disguise unsightly structures, transforming them for several weeks. Depending on preferences, it can also be trained as a bush in a large free hedge, even in partial shade and in cold regions.

'Maria Lisa' is a hybrid of the climbing multiflora rose. It closely resembles its parent, inheriting the long, flexible, and thornless stems. This rose was obtained in 1925 by the monk Alfons, and introduced in 1936 by Liebau &Co in Germany. Its growth is very fast. It forms a slightly weeping, graceful shrub, reaching a height of 3 to 4 m (10 to 13ft) (more if trained as a climber), with a width of 2 to 3 m (7 to 10ft). Its arching stems arise from a stump that produces new woody climbing stems each year. The flowering is non-recurring, occurring in June-July, but is very abundant and long-lasting. The 3cm (1in) diameter semi-double to single flowers have 5 to 8 petals. They are tightly clustered in incredible abundance, displaying a vibrant, almost fuchsia pink-red colour with a beautiful white eye. The flower's centre is filled with a visible bouquet of golden-yellow stamens, attracting bees. The flowering period is particularly long in June-July, thanks to the excellent longevity of each flower on the cluster. This rose produces few fleshy false fruits called rose hips. It has dense, lush, and healthy matte medium green foliage.

If 'Maria Lisa' is one of the few creations of Father Alfonse that have survived over time, it is thanks to its good health, vigour, and lively summer flowering. Like other climbers, it's perfect for filling large spaces and giving a slightly wild look when planted above overly strict flower beds. It is an ideal companion for dead trees that it will illuminate, old fences, and ugly buildings or sheds to which it adds a charming allure. Trained on an arch near the terrace, it creates a romantic passage. As its flowering is not recurring, it can be paired with a large-flowered clematis whose summer flowering will take over until autumn. But 'Maria Lisa' is perhaps even more beautiful when displayed on its own in a short grass meadow: it creates a magnificent mass of flowers that attracts all eyes in summer. It integrates perfectly into a large free hedge, associated with other large shrubs such as hawthorns, laburnum, deciduous euonymus, or lilacs.