China rose

[chahy-nuh rohz]

noun

1. Also called Bengal rose. a rose, Rosa chinensis, of China, having slightly fragrant crimson, pink, or white flowers.

2. Also called rose of China. Also called Chinese hibiscus. a tropical Asian shrub, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, of the mallow family, having showy, usually rose-red flowers.

China rose

noun

1. a rosaceous shrub, Rosa chinensis (or R. indica ), with red, pink, or white fragrant flowers: the ancestor of many cultivated roses

2. a related dwarf plant, Rosa semperflorens, having crimson flowers

3. another name for hibiscus

Word History and Origins

Origin of China rose¹

First recorded in 1725–35