Rosa-Altissimo, a red rose

If you're looking for climbing roses, Altissimo is a striking climber that continuously produces bright, red blooms. These are large blooms, too, at five inches wide, with golden stamens and dark green leaves on canes that reach eight to ten feet tall.

You should amend your well-drained soil before planting Altissimo in a sunny location and let it climb into a tree; use it as a pillar, on a wall or as a climber rose on a trellis or arch. If you compost annually and prune dead/damaged wood, you'll have a prize rose that can accent a corner or a bright, freestanding shrub in a border of mixed colors. Let it clamber into trees. Prune while dormant, though and cut back side shoots to four buds. Fertilize in early spring and after first bloom.

This plant is largely disease resistant, but black spot could be a problem, so use a fungicidal soap in the spring for prevention. While keeping an eye out for pesky-pest damage, go ahead and reapply fungicide as needed.

• Class: Large-Flowered Climber
• Origin: 1966, Delbard-Chabert; Paris, France
• Bloom: Yellow Stamens, Semi-Double, 12 Petals, light fragrance
• Habit: Upright, 9' x 5'
• Disease susceptibility: Largely disease-resistant. Protect new foliage in spring with fungicidal soap to prevent black spot. Monitor for insect damage.
• Parentage: Tenor x seedling