White Dawn® Climbing Rose

Rosa 'White Dawn'

Nature Hills Nursery

Vigorous Climber Covered in Ruffled, Ivory-White Blooms with Sweet Rose Scent Year After Year
Thrives in Zones 5-9
Grows 10-12 ft Tall, 5-7 ft Wide
Sweetly Fragrant Flowers
Ideal for Privacy Screen or Hedge

$100²³

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Find your Growing Zone

Plant Size

#3 Container

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: For the most prolific flush of pure white blooms, give this climber at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. While it can handle partial shade, you will likely see fewer flowers and a higher risk of powdery mildew if it does not get enough morning sun to dry the leaves.
Soil: This rose thrives in rich, well drained soil that stays moist but never soggy. If you have heavy clay, mix in organic compost or aged manure to improve drainage and prevent root rot, which is the fastest way to stress a climber.

Watering Requirements

During the first growing season, provide about one inch of water per week to help the deep root system establish itself. Once mature, White Dawn is remarkably drought tolerant, but inconsistent watering during heat waves can lead to smaller flowers and premature leaf drop. Always water at the base of the plant rather than over the foliage to keep the leaves dry and disease free.

Pruning Tips

Since this rose blooms on both old and new wood, wait until early spring when the leaf buds begin to swell to do your heavy pruning. Remove dead or damaged canes first, then thin out the oldest, woodiest stems to encourage vigorous new growth from the base. Think of it like a refreshing haircut that directs the plant's energy into producing those classic, ruffled blooms rather than maintaining tired, unproductive branches.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced, slow release rose fertilizer in early spring as new growth appears and again after the first major bloom cycle. Avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers late in the summer, as this encourages tender new growth that will not have time to harden off before the first frost. This soft growth is highly susceptible to winter kill and can weaken the entire structure of your climber.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4	Week of March 30th
Zone 5	Week of March 16th
Zone 6-12	Week of March 2nd

Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Understanding Our Container Sizes

At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes

Quart

Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.

#1 Container

Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.

#2 Container

Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.

#3 Container

Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.

#5 Container and Larger

Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.

Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?

Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.

Root Pouch Containers

Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

Plants growing in Root Pouch fabric containers, showing the breathable woven fabric construction

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:

Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.

Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.

Full Root Pouch planting guide

Choosing the Right Size

Size	Plant Age	Best For
Quart	6 mo to 1 yr	Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings.
#1 Container	1 to 2 yrs	Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners.
#2 Container	2 to 3 yrs	Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment.
#3 Container	3 to 4 yrs	Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size.
#5 and larger	4+ yrs	Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact.

Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

Brighten your landscape with the showy, fragrant blooms of the White Dawn® Climbing Rose (Rosa 'White Dawn')! These gorgeous, vigorous rambling climbers will be absolutely covered in ruffled, ivory-white blooms with up to 35 petals apiece!

Although the large, semi-double blooms of White Dawn® Rose resemble Gardenia, they feature a sweet Rose scent and high-contrast dark green foliage. Enjoy the blooms in your garden, or cut them for incredible floral arrangements indoors!

One of the most disease-resistant Climbing Roses, White Dawn® produces wave after wave of white blooms from late spring through fall. Leave the last blooming flush of the autumn season to develop into pretty red hips for birds and winter decoration! Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 5 to 9, this wonderful climbing ornamental has strong, flexible canes for easy landscape décor!

Planting and Application:

Use White Dawn® as an effective privacy screen on a trellis, a boon for small space gardens! You get a lot of coverage from White Dawn®, in exchange for a minimal footprint and vertical interest anywhere in the sun! Turn an eyesore into a feature. Old chain link fences and TV antennae can become a bower of snowy, fragrant blooms! These white blossoms are a must-have for vertical interest in a Moon Garden.

Even a single White Dawn® Rose can be trained to cover a tall tower, pillar, or obelisk. Place these garden structures in your mixed garden border and achieve year-round interest! Tie Climbing Rose canes at a 45-degree angle to your sturdy structure for the most prolific flowering. Flexible landscape ties are strong, but won't bind the canes too tightly.

On slopes, try Climbing Roses as an effective groundcover and barrier planting! Space them four feet apart on center, measuring from the center of one to the center of the next. Use it to create privacy and living walls covered in fragrant Rose wallpaper, or cover unsightly siding, and fences, and add shade to seating areas with a Climbing Rose placed at key locations around your landscape.

Clusters of Creamy White Roses
Lovely Rose Fragrance
Lush Green Foliage & Strong Canes
Fast Growing Tall & Wide Form
Shade, Vertical Specimens, Living Walls & Upright Garden Accents!

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Choose a planting site with full sun and well-drained soil. Give Roses a consistent, even amount of water and regular Rose food to support the abundant bloom production. Add Nature Hills Root Booster to the planting hole to provide a life-long resource, and keep your Rose roots happy with a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist bark chips.

How to Prune and Train Climbing Roses

Pruning should not be done during the first two to three years, since Climbing Roses need time to build flowering Rose canes. These structural canes will grow thicker for several years before it is time to replace them.

Spring Pruning and Structural Rejuvenation

Remember that spring pruning is most limited to removing broken branches, and dead tips or correcting the structure of the Climbing Roses. If you remove long canes and side branching you will be removing the first set of June flowers.

Prune Roses in early spring just as you see new buds beginning to swell.
Remove any dead, diseased, or damaged branches.
Identify several new, younger, more vigorous canes to become the new structural foundation of your beautiful Climbing Rose.
Remove the fattest, oldest canes out at the soil level, if possible and right after the first set of flowers finishes. Those canes will be replaced with new shoots that develop from the base. As these new, rapidly produced shoots elongate, you will want to direct, train, and tie them into the place you would like them to develop.

Summer Maintenance and Pruning

Horizontal branches produce the most flowers. Prune these secondary canes after flowering, because Climbing Roses bloom on last year's canes (old wood).

Cut your secondary canes down to 6 - 8 inches above a bud after the first flush of flowers has finished.
Trim the secondary canes back at 90 to 45-degree angles.
Keep your structural support canes in place.

In colder regions it may be more difficult to maintain Climbing Roses, so choosing your planting site is important.

Winter protection is best for Roses grown in zones 7 and colder. Mulch is your best, more natural way to overwinter roses by mounding the dormant canes in late fall. Don't fall prune, rather instead wait until spring.

Read all you need about pruning Roses, winterizing Roses, and un-wintering Roses in spring in our #ProPlantTips Garden Blog! Every three years, practice renewal pruning to keep White Dawn® Climbing Rose growing and blooming vigorously. Untie the canes after the first flush of flowers is finished, then prune the oldest, thickest canes out at ground level and retie the young, thin canes.

Full Sun
Moderate Moisture & Regular Fertility
Appreciates Enriched Well-Drained Soil & Mulched Beds
Easy to Grow & Train
Prune Early Spring

Grow vertical walls of delightful white blossoms with the White Dawn® Climbing Rose at NatureHills.com! Fragrance, bright blooms, and small-footprint flowering ornamentals are waiting for you today!

Botanical Name

Rosa 'White Dawn'
Class

Magnoliopsida, Rosales
Species

spp.
Cultivar

White Dawn
Growing Zones

5-9
Height

10-12 ft
Width

5-7 ft
Sunlight

Full sun
Growth Rate

Fast
Flower Color

White
Leaf Color

Green
Fall Color

Red Rose Hips In Fall
Fragrant

Yes
Bloom Period

Late Spring, Early Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Late Fall
Does Not Ship To

AK, HI, ID, MT, PR

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Growing Zones 5-9

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Frequently Asked Questions

What USDA hardiness zones is the White Dawn® Climbing Rose suitable for?

White Dawn® Climbing Rose is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. This wide range means it can handle winter temperatures from -20°F to 20°F, making it suitable for most of the continental United States. Plant it in spring after your last frost date for best establishment.

How often should I water my White Dawn® climbing rose after planting?

Water newly planted White Dawn® climbing roses deeply 2-3 times per week for the first month, then reduce to weekly watering once established. This hardy rose (zones 5-9) needs consistent moisture during its initial root development period. Check soil moisture 2 inches down and water when dry, available at naturehills.com.

How fast does White Dawn® grow and when will I see significant growth?

White Dawn® is a vigorous climbing rose that typically grows 8-12 feet tall with a 4-6 foot spread in zones 5-9. You'll see good establishment growth the first year, with significant blooming coverage by the second season. Train canes at 45-degree angles to your support structure for fastest coverage and most prolific flowering.

Is White Dawn® climbing rose resistant to deer browsing?

White Dawn® climbing rose is not specifically noted as deer resistant. Most roses are susceptible to deer browsing, especially the tender new growth and buds. Plant near frequently used areas or consider deer deterrents like repellent sprays for best protection.

Will White Dawn® climbing rose come back every year or do I need to replant it?

White Dawn® climbing rose is a perennial that returns each year in USDA zones 5-9. This vigorous climber blooms repeatedly from late spring through fall without replanting. Simply provide proper winter protection in colder zones and prune in early spring for best results.