Zephirine Drouhin Climbing Rose

Zephirine Drouhin Climbing Rose, a bourbon rose, has delighted gardeners for over 150 years with its exceptional fragrance, stunning cerise-carmine blooms, and vigorous climbing habit. Introduced in 1868, this enduring French Bourbon rose remains one of the most popular climbing roses, known for its reliable health, shade tolerance, and nearly thornless canes. This classic rose delivers an abundance of color and scent from late spring to first frost in fall. Plant it where it can be trained over a trellis, arch gracefully along a fence, or enhance a semi-shaded garden corner.

From spring through mid fall, Zephirine Drouhin sporadically produces large, loose, double blooms, each measuring about 4 inches across. The deeply saturated pink petals unfurl from long, elegant buds, releasing a powerful raspberry-inspired fragrance that fills the garden and adds to the appeal of cut floral arrangements. Blooming heaviest in late spring and early fall, with a lighter flush in summer, this rose provides a season-long display of color and scent, perfect for romantic cottage gardens and elegant landscape designs.

Able to thrive in a variety of conditions, this vigorous climber reaches 15 to 20 feet in height and 4 to 6 feet in width. With its long, almost thornless canes, you can perfect the art of training it over trellises, pergolas, and arbors. Unlike most climbing roses, Zephirine Drouhin performs well in partial shade, making it a top choice for shaded fences and garden spaces with limited sunlight. Its medium-green foliage, which emerges coppery-purple in spring, provides a healthy backdrop for the vivid blooms.

With its virtually thornless canes, Zephirine Drouhin is a safe and family-friendly rose for growing in high-traffic areas, pathways, and gardens where children play. Its smooth stems make it easier to prune, train, and handle than most climbing varieties, adding to its appeal for new and experienced rose growers.

For best results, plant Zephirine Drouhin in moist, well-drained loamy soil and provide full sun to partial shade. While it thrives in cooler temperatures, offering its most prolific flushes in late spring and early fall, it continues blooming intermittently throughout the summer. This enduring heirloom climbing rose has all the traits that make growing roses easier than you might imagine.

With our extensive video library, filled with rose care videos, will teach you how to plant, grow, and maintain your Zephirine Drouhin Climbing Rose. And visit our Fertilizer & Plant Care page to find everything you need to keep your bourbon rose thriving.