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Marilyn Monroe (Rosa 'Marilyn Monroe'), whole plant
  • Marilyn Monroe — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Marilyn Monroe — seasonal appearance
  • Marilyn Monroe in a garden setting

Marilyn Monroe

Rosa 'Marilyn Monroe'

Medium · Some experience

About Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe is a creamy apricot-blush hybrid tea rose producing classic 5-inch high-centered blooms with a light tea fragrance on long stems. Growing 4 to 5 feet tall with dark green foliage and excellent disease resistance, this glamorous American rose has become a top cut flower and wedding rose since its 2002 introduction.

  • Cut-flower
  • Disease-resistant
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to -10°F (-23°C)
USDA hardiness zones 6–9

How to care for Marilyn Monroe

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
Get watering reminders for Marilyn Monroe — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • NativeNorth America
  • Height4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m)
  • Spread2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m)
  • Flower colorOrange, Cream, Coral
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Rich
  • LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

May–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Deadhead for repeat bloom; prune late winter

Fragrance

LIGHT FRAGRANCE

The flowers have a light tea-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

Marilyn Monroe · Native
  • Native
  • North America

History

Illustrated historical scene for Marilyn Monroe

Rosa 'Marilyn Monroe' is a buff-apricot hybrid tea rose bred by American hybridizer Tom Carruth at Weeks Roses in California, released in 2002 under licensing agreement with the Marilyn Monroe estate. The refined pointed buds open slowly to large high-centered blooms in subtle shades of creamy apricot, coral, and warm buff that deepen toward the petal edges, with a velvety satin finish suited to the name. Light tea-rose fragrance.

The plant is vigorous and disease-resistant for a hybrid tea, with long straight stems that make it a premium cut flower. 'Marilyn Monroe' became one of the most successful celebrity-named roses of the early twenty-first century, popular at wedding florists for its warm glamorous coloring and classic exhibition form.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

The Marilyn Monroe Rose can symbolize glamorous beauty, named for the Hollywood icon whose face still anchors the twentieth century. One layer is glamour, the classic, slightly nostalgic tribute to mid-century stardom, and the second is timeless beauty, expressed in the creamy apricot, perfectly formed hybrid tea blooms. In the modern rose garden, Marilyn is the small piece of cinema kept alive in petals, a flower whose name does most of the storytelling before the gardener has even bent to smell it.

  • Glamour — named for Hollywood icon
  • Timeless beauty — classic creamy apricot form

Where the Name Comes From

Named in 2002 for Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962), evoking its timeless glamour.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Apricot-cream hybrid tea with light tea fragrance
  • Long stems and creamy buds star in bouquets
  • Apricot-cream blooms in classic high-centered hybrid tea form

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Marilyn Monroe?

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

How much light does Marilyn Monroe need?

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

Is Marilyn Monroe 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 Marilyn Monroe easy to grow?

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

When does Marilyn Monroe bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

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