Here's Where You Can Find The Largest Rose Bush In America

While some people may be intrigued by where you can find the largest homes in the world, flower lovers would find the site of the largest rose bush in America much more interesting. In fact, this plant happens to be the world's largest rose tree. That's right, it's become far too large to just be considered a bush anymore and is now commonly referred to as a tree. It's actually over 140 years old, as it was planted in 1885 and originally came all the way from Scotland. The world's largest rose tree can be found in Tombstone, Arizona, at the Rose Tree Museum.

If you ever get a chance to visit Tombstone, you simply must go and see this magnificent rose. It started as just a rooted cutting of a white Lady Banks rose (Rosa banksiae) and was planted by a couple of friends in the backyard of a miner's boarding house. This gorgeous species of rose was named after Dorothea Lady Banks, who was the wife of botanist and explorer Sir Joseph Banks.

Around 1920, instead of taking out the pruning shears and giving the sprawling shrub a good trim, the subsequent owner of the house, which became the Rose Tree Inn, James Macia, built a trellis system to support the ever-growing bush. The branches covered the trellis to create a lovely shady patio for guests to enjoy a cooling respite from the hot Arizona sun.

Amazingly, the rose tree just continues to grow and is still listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Largest Rose Tree. The gnarled trunk is at least 12 feet in circumference, and the massive canopy spreads to nearly 9,000 square feet. There's even an elevated viewing platform so that you can actually see this unbelievable tree from above.

In spring, from March to April, the tree is covered with masses of white, sweetly-scented blooms that last for around six weeks. Just imagine the number of bees and other pollinators that are most likely attracted to this gorgeous specimen. The fragrance is so strong that you can get a whiff of it even if you're a street or two away. Tombstone holds its annual Rose Festival to coincide with the blooming around mid-April, in honor of what the locals fondly refer to as the "Shady Lady". There is also a museum, which showcases artifacts from the original families who pioneered the town. And if you want to try your hand at the world record and grow your own Lady Banks rose, there might even be seedlings available for sale. It's a fast-growing rose variety you'll want to add to your flower bed.