Flower profile
Three-leaved rose
Rosa laevigata
Three-leaved rose is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In Georgia it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Georgia
Quick look
Rosa laevigata, or the Cherokee rose, is a white, fragrant rose native to southern China, Taiwan and Vietnam. It is an invasive species in countries including Australia, Japan and the United States.
- It belongs to the Rosaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a subshrub / a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 10 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Georgia. NatureServe
- In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 170 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #104 among the 111 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
Three-leaved rose gift ideas
Handmade three-leaved rose gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Three-leaved rose art print
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Three-leaved rose greeting card
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Three-leaved rose mug
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Three-leaved rose earrings
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Three-leaved rose embroidery pattern
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Three-leaved rose sticker
When does it bloom?
In Georgia, most flowering sightings come in March–April.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- Georgia
- Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “Rose hips are edible” NC State Extension
ASPCA's entry “Rose” (Rosa Species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records three-leaved rose in 10 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia.
Georgia counties with USDA records: Charlton, Chatham, Glynn, Grady, Lowndes, McIntosh, Richmond.
More Georgia flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ROLA.
- iNaturalist, Rosa laevigata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Rosa laevigata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- O.C.G.A. § 50-3-53: Georgia state floral emblem.
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Rosa laevigata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Nonbinary-Naturalist via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.