Cherokee rose

noun

1. the fragrant white rose of a prickly, climbing shrub, Rosa laevigata, originally from China and naturalized in the southern U.S.: the state flower of Georgia.

Cherokee rose

noun

1. an evergreen climbing Chinese rose, Rosa laevigata, that now grows wild in the southern US, having large white fragrant flowers

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cherokee rose¹

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25

Example Sentences

Its masses of large white flowers, like single Cherokee roses, contrast finely with the deep, rich greens of the fir forests, in which it often grows.

From Project Gutenberg

It certainly was effective: Sales of the widely acclaimed Grand Cherokee rose 68 percent in 2010 and another 51 percent in 2011.

From Forbes

A thick tangle of muscadine and Cherokee roses led off from them right and left, hiding the trail of the long-vanished rail fence.

From Project Gutenberg

See those beautiful Cherokee roses growing over there on the island point?

From Project Gutenberg

It was the time of wistarias and wild white lilies, of the last yellow jas-mines and the first Cherokee roses.

From Project Gutenberg