Roses grow on erect, climbing, or trailing shrubs, the stems of which are covered with thorns. The leaves, which alternate along a branch, have 3 to 11 toothed leaflets. Solitary flowers or loose clusters bloom at the tips of stems. The ovary of the flower, known as the hip, turns bright red, yellow, or black at maturity. At the rim of a hip grow five sepals, which alternate with five petals, a trait common to ancient species and elaborate modern varieties.
Most species impart a distinctive fragrance.
Most roses that are cultivated today are hybrids of early species. The most popular group consists of the hybrid tea roses, having a wide color range, a unique fragrance, and continuous bloom throughout the growing season. The Cherokee rose, R. laevigata, and the Lady Banks rose, R. banksiae, are climbers that frequently are grown against garden walls. Rose windows derive their name from their shape, which is round and made up of petal-like forms radiating from a central point. The windows symbolize the Virgin Mary, whose flower is a rose.