YardMate
Louis Philippe
Rosa 'Louis Philippe'
Easy · Beginner friendlyAbout Louis Philippe
Louis Philippe is a classic Old Garden rose of the China class bred by Modeste Guerin in France in 1834, famous for its extraordinary repeat blooming in deep crimson-pink cupped double blooms with lighter pink centers. Growing 4 to 6 feet in an arching shrub, it blooms non-stop from spring through hard frost and thrives in southern American heat where many roses fail. The iconic cemetery rose of the American South, often called 'the Cracker rose' in Florida.
- Heat-tolerant
- Long-blooming
How to care for Louis Philippe
Watering
- Springevery 7 days
- Summerevery 5 days
- Fallevery 10 days
- Winterevery 21 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.
- Nitrogen · Leaves
- Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
- Potassium · Strength
- Springevery 45 days
- Summerevery 45 days
At a Glance
- NativeEurope
- Height4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m)
- Spread3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m)
- Flower colorRed, Burgundy, Pink
- Foliage colorGreen
- Fruit colorOrange
- SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Rich
- LocationsYard
Bloom time
BLOOM CYCLE
Peak bloom
May–Sep
Crimson-pink cupped blooms repeat non-stop spring to frost, no deadheading needed
Fragrance
LIGHT FRAGRANCE
The flowers have a light sweet China-rose scent.
Toxicity
Humans Slight
Unknown toxic principle
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
- Europe
History
Rosa 'Louis Philippe' is a crimson China rose bred by French nurseryman M. Guerin in 1834 and named for King Louis Philippe I, the liberal Orleanist monarch who reigned from 1830 until the 1848 revolution. Guerin's introduction reached the American South via French and Creole gardens in New Orleans, and planters carried cuttings across Texas and the Gulf states throughout the nineteenth century. The loosely double cupped blooms open deep crimson with lighter pink petal edges and white bases, continuously from late spring to heavy frost on a vigorous shrub reaching two meters.
Its tolerance of extreme heat, humidity, drought, and neglect allowed it to survive a century or more in abandoned Texas homesteads, and the Texas Rose Rustlers and other heritage-rose groups have repropagated it from countless old cemetery and ranch plantings. Light sweet scent.
Known as the 'Cracker rose' in Florida for its association with early settler homesteads, it remains the iconic Southern heirloom rose.
Symbolism & meaning
What It Symbolizes
Louis Philippe Rose carries Southern heritage on its shoulders — the iconic crimson cemetery and homestead rose of the Gulf Coast, brought to Texas in 1839 and surviving in old yards long after the houses around its have fallen. Its endless bloom — a true non-stop repeat unlike most old garden roses — keeps its flowering from March to frost. It is the rose that outlived the antebellum South and kept blooming.
- Southern heritage — iconic cemetery and homestead rose of the Gulf Coast
- Endless bloom — true non-stop repeat unlike other OGRs
Where the Name Comes From
Named for King Louis Philippe I of France (1773-1850), reigning during the rose's introduction.
Uses & Fun Facts
- Heat-tolerant heirloom China rose for Southern cemetery plantings
- Treasured nineteenth-century cultivar at historic Southern home sites
Related plants
More Rosa plants
About FaceRosa 'About Face'
Abraham DarbyRosa 'Abraham Darby'
AmericaRosa 'America'
Angel FaceRosa 'Angel Face'
Plants with similar care
Chinese AbeliaAbelia chinensis
Fragrant AbeliaAbelia mosanensis
Large-Flowered AbeliaAbelia uniflora
Glossy AbeliaAbelia x grandiflora
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water Louis Philippe?
In summer, water about every 5 days; in winter, about every 21 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.
How much light does Louis Philippe need?
Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.
Is Louis Philippe 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 Louis Philippe easy to grow?
Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.
When does Louis Philippe bloom?
It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.
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