Cherish

Rosa 'Cherish'

Medium · Some experience

About Cherish

Cherish is a classic coral-pink floribunda rose producing large clusters of 3 to 4 inch fully double blooms with a light tea fragrance on a compact 3-foot bush. A 1980 AARS winner, it brought exhibition-quality cluster form into American landscape floribundas and remains a reliable coral-pink rose in home gardens.

Long-blooming

WATER

Regular

Top inch dry

LIGHT

Full sun

6+ hrs direct

HARDY

Hardy to -20°F (-29°C)

USDA hardiness zones 5–9

How to care for Cherish

Watering

Springevery 5 days
Summerevery 3 days
Fallevery 7 days
Winterevery 14 days

Soil · Rich & loamy

Top dressingBark mulch15%
Main mixRich loam + compost 3:170%
DrainageGravel15%

Use fully finished compost — fresh compost burns roots.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%

Nitrogen · Leaves
Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
Potassium · Strength

Springevery 30 days
Summerevery 30 days
Fallevery 45 days

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At a Glance

NativeNorth America
Height3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m)
Spread2–4 ft (0.6–1.2 m)
Flower colorPink, Coral
Foliage colorGreen
SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Rich
LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

May–Sep

Deadhead clusters for repeat bloom; prune late winter

Fragrance

LIGHT FRAGRANCE

The flowers have a light tea scent.

Toxicity

Humans Slight

Unknown toxic principle

HumansDogsCats

Slight

Stem
Contact

EXPOSURE Touching stems.

EFFECT Pricks from thorns.

NOTE Not toxic; thorns cause mechanical injury.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for dogs; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for cats; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Native

North America

History

Illustrated historical scene for Cherish

Rosa 'Cherish' is a coral-pink floribunda rose bred by American hybridizer William A. Warriner at Jackson & Perkins in Medford, Oregon, released in 1980 from a cross between 'Bridal Pink' and 'Matador'. Unlike typical floribundas with many flowers per cluster, 'Cherish' often produces blooms singly on long stems, each a classic high-centered flower of salmon-coral-pink, so refined in form that many gardeners grow it as a hybrid tea. 'Cherish' won the All-America Rose Selections award in 1980, and continued to win exhibition awards for its ability to produce exhibition-quality blooms with minimal disbudding.

Light tea fragrance. The compact upright plant blooms continuously through the season and remains a favorite for cut flowers and small-garden plantings. Bred by William Warriner at Jackson & Perkins and introduced in 1979, winning AARS in 1980.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

The Cherish rose holds treasured affection in warm coral, the color of a tender 1980s romance preserved in petals. As classic American it earned its place in countless gardens after winning All-America Rose Selections honors in 1980, an iconic floribunda of its decade. To plant it is to set down a small piece of late-twentieth-century American garden history, still blooming.

Treasured affection — warm coral romance
Classic American — iconic 1980s floribunda

Where the Name Comes From

Named 'Cherish' to evoke the treasured romantic feeling of its coral-pink blooms.

Uses & Fun Facts

Coral-pink floribunda clusters used in mixed garden bouquets
AARS-winning floribunda with high-centered coral-pink blooms

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Cherish?

In summer, water about every 3 days; in winter, about every 14 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Cherish need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Cherish toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Safe (Dogs Safe · Cats Safe) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Cherish easy to grow?

It is moderately demanding: a good choice once you have a little experience.

When does Cherish bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

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