Harison’s yellow rose is an old hybrid rose, developed by George Folliott Harison in 1824 in Manhattan, New York by crossing seedlings of Rosa foetida (Persian yellow rose) with a seedling of either Rosa spinossima or Rosa pimpinellifolia.

This was the first yellow rose bred in the U.S.A., and it became known as the Oregon Trail Rose (Rosa x harisonii), and also the yellow rose of Texas.

Harison’s yellow has a semi-double clear yellow flower with up to 25 petals, cupped blossoms, and fruity fragrance. The flowers appear in clusters and the bush blooms for three to five weeks.

The prickles of this rose are transparent red when young, gradually becoming opaque over time and brown to grey. Its leaves are grayish green with seven to nine leaflets.

The base of the blossom develops into a seedpod referred to as a rose “hip” which is green to begin with, then turns red and finally black when the seeds are mature.

If you choose to grow a Harison’s yellow rose, allow it a lot of room, as it forms suckers growing from its roots.Because of the habit of growing suckers, the diameter of the bush widens.

New bushes can be started by carefully digging a sucker or two, being careful with the tender new roots and immediately planting and watering your new plant.

When you relocate those newly separated suckers to a new planting site, bear in mind that the average “Oregon trail rose” reaches the height and width of 3.3 to 5.7 feet; and they’re hardy to minus 35 degrees, or a USDA zone 4.

You can plant it as a single plant, or in groups; or even a hedge if you have managed to propagate enough plants.

The Harison’s yellow rose came with many of the pioneers to add cheeriness around their cabins: like bringing a friend with you to settle a new and unknown land. A bit of home from the home they left to make a new house feel like a real home.