Cherokee rose

American  

noun

1. the fragrant white rose of a prickly, climbing shrub, Rosa laevigata, originally from China and naturalized in the southern U.S.: the state flower of Georgia.

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Cherokee rose British  

noun

1. an evergreen climbing Chinese rose, Rosa laevigata, that now grows wild in the southern US, having large white fragrant flowers

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Etymology

Origin of Cherokee rose

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25

Example Sentences

The American Beauty is the flower of the District of Columbia, Georgia has the white Cherokee rose, Iowa the wild rose, and New York an unspecified variety of rose.

From Time Magazine Archive

There was pointed out to us a specimen of the frangipanni, a tall and nearly leafless plant bearing a milk-white flower, and resembling the tuberose in fragrance, but in form much like our Cherokee rose.

From Due South or Cuba Past and Present by Ballou, Maturin Murray

The pink flush of the Cherokee rose in the unreal light had become chastely white.

From The Bell-Ringer of Angel's by Harte, Bret

When they had ridden a long time, and were on the road darkened by hedges of Cherokee rose, the Colonel called behind him to the "low-down" scion: "Keep the road, old man."

From Old Creole Days by Cable, George Washington

Then we have the snow-white, but scentless Cherokee rose, with its lovely, shining leaves.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 13, No. 79, May, 1864 by Various