Roses are a favorite flowering plant of gardeners all over the world. Roses come in more than 150 different species, but they all have the same soft, heartfelt look. You could add rose bushes to your garden, but maybe you want something a little different. Beginner gardeners might find it hard to keep up with the care needs of garden roses, while more experienced gardeners might want something a little less common.
Luckily, there are plenty of flowers that look like roses. In most cases, the similarities lie in their petals’ colors, fragrance, and shape. But the care needs of other flower species might be better for your gardening level, the area where you live, or the time you can spend on them.
Below, you will find a combination of well-known and obscure rose-like flowers. These flowers all look like roses, so you’re sure to find one that you like on this list. Let’s jump in!.
Roses are iconic symbols of love and beauty. Their lush multi-layered blooms emit a delicate fragrance and romantic ambiance. But growing perfect roses requires time and effort. What if you want the look of roses without the work?
Luckily, many flowers mimic the blossoms of rose bushes. Let’s explore some rose lookalikes to give your garden elegance without demanding care.
Why Consider Rose Alternatives?
Here are reasons to branch out beyond typical roses:
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Lower maintenance – Many roses are susceptible to pests and diseases. Alternatives may be more carefree.
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Climate compatibility – Some areas have trouble growing roses Substitutes may handle your environment better.
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Unique colors – Roses mainly come in shades of red, pink, white, yellow. Mix it up with different hues.
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Faster growth – Some roses take years to mature. Alternatives provide quicker gratification.
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Fragrance – Not all roses are aromatic Explore options with pleasant scents
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Novelty – Add distinctive flair with exotic plants.
Let’s look at 13 of the best flowers that resemble roses without the work!
1. Camellias
Camellias offer large, rose-like blooms in red, pink, and white hues. The shiny evergreen leaves contrast elegantly with abundant wintertime blossoms. Camellias thrive in mild climates.
2. Carnations
Ruffled carnations have an old-fashioned charm. The frilly, multifaceted blooms look like miniature roses. Carnations come in many colors like red, pink, yellow, purple, and white. Some varieties are also sweetly fragrant.
3. Chrysanthemums
Lush, multi-layered chrysanthemum blooms have a similar globular shape to roses. Chrysanthemums offer a wider color range like orange, burgundy, yellow and lime green. The flowers add long-lasting beauty in fall.
4. Dahlias
From pom pom shapes to giant dinner-plate blooms, dahlias showcase incredible diversity. Their multi-petaled flowers mimic the full, dense form of roses. Dahlias bloom in almost every color except blue.
5. Double Impatiens
As the name suggests, double impatiens have fully double flowers packed with ruffled petals. They resemble tiny roses and come in many colors including pink, red, white, purple, and coral. The pretty blooms brighten shady areas.
6. Double Tulips
Tulips already resemble roses in their cupped shape. Double varieties take it a step further with extra petals for a fuller, fluffier bloom. Double tulips add elegance to spring gardens in an array of vivid colors.
7. Garden Roses
Modern and antique garden roses offer the flower power of hybrid teas without the hassle. Tough, disease-resistant varieties like ‘Knock Out’ and ‘Carefree Delight’ give you rose beauty minus the work.
8. Peonies
Peonies produce sumptuous, romantic blooms in late spring. The lush flowers come in red, pink, white, yellow and coral. Tree peonies have an even closer resemblance to roses with their large, lush blossoms.
9. Ranunculus
Ranunculus flowers showcase row upon row of thin, delicate petals. Their closely stacked layers create a rose-like fullness. Ranunculus add charm to gardens and vases in pink, red, orange, yellow and white.
10. Strawflowers
Strawflowers don’t resemble roses when fully open. But their tightly furled buds mimic miniature rosebuds. The colorful, everlasting blooms hold their form beautifully when dried. Strawflowers add texture when mixed with other flowers.
11. Succulent Roses
Some succulents form rosette shapes that loosely resemble roses. Hens-and-chicks, echeveria, and aeonium display compact, geometric rosettes. Greenovia has pink-blushed leaves for a more direct rose likeness.
12. Water Lilies
Water lily blossoms float elegantly on the water’s surface. Their waxy, symmetrical petals radiate outward like a miniature rose. Fragrant water lilies add beauty and aroma to backyard ponds.
13. Windflowers
Also known as anemones, windflowers showcase saucer-shaped blooms in white, pink, purple, and scarlet red. Their black stamens accent the color. Windflowers sway delicately on slender stems, adding grace to any garden.
Bonus: Rose Hip for Flavor
Rose hips are the fruit of the rose plant. They form after flowers fade. Rose hips offer benefits like:
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Edible and flavorful – Used for tea, jam, syrup
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Excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants
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Add unique texture and visual interest
So even if you skip typical roses, you can still enjoy rose hips!
Discover Your New Favorite Flowers
Roses hold a special spot in the pantheon of flowers. But sometimes it’s nice to break from expectations and find new botanical beauty.
The options shared here all mimic the lush, multi-layered blooms of roses. But they offer their own unique advantages.
Branch out from classic roses with these elegant alternatives. Discover new colors, fragrances, and textures to enhance your garden. With less fuss than finicky roses, you can enjoy gorgeous blossoms for years to come.
‘Mary Gay Lirette’ Daffodil
‘Mary Gay Lirette’ Daffodil has a sweetly scented stunner that blooms to a height of 35-45cm.
- Plant Type: Perennial
- Geographic Origin: NA; Nursery hybrid
- Plant Size: 12–18 inches in height
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
- Plant Zone: 3–8 (USDA)
Like roses, horticulturalists have been cultivating Daffodils for decades. The ‘Mary Gay Lirette’ Daffodil is a truly stunning variety that features pale, creamy pink-colored flowers. The ‘Mary Gay Lirette’ variety of daffodils is more pink than orange, while most of them are more orange.
These ruffled flowers look quite different from a daffodil; you may even mistake them for peonies. Similar to roses, these distinctive Daffodils will add a dainty, romantic, and feminine ambiance wherever you plant them.
Purple is the “native” coloring of the Million Bells.
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial, annual
- Geographic Origin: South American Hybrid
- Plant Size: 3 to 9 inches tall and 6 to 24 inches wide
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Plant Zone: 9-11 (USDA)
The plant Calibrachoa, also known as Million Bells, is often used in hanging baskets because it makes a dense trail as it flows over the sides. Its delicate blooms are only an inch across but often have plenty of flowers.
These vibrant flowers may be pink, red, yellow, violet, white, blue, magenta, or bronze. You may also see them in small plastic containers to replant in a garden bed.
Moss Rose is the only ornamental plant in the numerous purslane family.
- Plant Type: Annual flowering succulent
- Geographic Origin: South America
- Plant Size: 3-9 inches tall, 6-12 inches wide
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Plant Zone: 2-11 (USDA)
Moss Roses are famous sellers during the spring and sometimes even summer. Despite its name and full, ruffled blooms, Moss Rose is a part of the Portulacaceae family. Because they can handle a lot of drought, these tough plants are great for new gardeners who might forget to water for a day or two. They are not frost tolerant, so most gardeners treat these flowering plants as annuals.
Their blooms come in multiple vibrant colors, including shades of pink, red, orange, and yellow. They are easy to grow flowers and make excellent ground covers due to their dense spread.
The Persian Buttercup is the type of ranunculus that flower growers and florists love the most. It has become the most popular type in modern times.
- Plant Type: Herbaceous, perennial
- Geographic Origin: Mediterranean
- Plant Size: 1-2 feet tall and wide
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Plant Zone: 8-10 (USDA)
Persian Buttercups are known for their bright colors, ruffled petals, and long stems that, with the right care, can last for ten years. You can get ranunculus in all the usual rose colors, like bright pink, red, cream, yellow, purple, and even orange.
It’s hard to find a flower shop that doesn’t sell these pretty things because most people love to use them for wedding bouquets or vase flowers. They grow quickly and typically bloom between spring and summer.
Pink Mountain Rose of exceptional beauty, ideal for growing in pots, such as on a terrace or patio.
- Plant Type: Succulent
- Geographic Origin: Canary Islands
- Plant Size: about 6 inches in height
- Sun Exposure: Partial to full sun
- Plant Zone: 10a to 11b (USDA)
At first glance, you may mistake this distinctive succulent for a rose. Mountain Rose features leaves that naturally arrange to look like a rose. You can find Mountain Rose succulents in shades of green, blue, and even pink. Although the blue and green are gorgeous, the pink is especially rose-like.
These unique beauties have become popular in the last decade because of their ease to care.
For many years, people have grown Red Charm Peonies in their gardens. They are one of the most popular types.
- Plant Type: Herbaceous, perennial
- Geographic Origin: Europe, Asia
- Plant Size: 3 feet in height and width
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial sun
- Plant Zone: 3-8 (USDA)
Look no further than the Red Charm Peony if you want a beautiful flower that is deep red and smells like roses. This peony variety has attention-grabbing blossoms that are incredibly fragrant and have a nearly identical scent to roses.
Most peonies are pink or white, but these ones have deep, crimson petals that look stunning against their bright green leaves.
Why Won’t my Roses Bloom?
FAQ
What is the flower that looks like a rose but is not?
What is the flower that resembles a rose?
What is the poor man’s rose flower?
What flower rivals roses?
Which flowers look like roses?
The following 10 flowers look like roses: peonies, camellias, dahlias, begonias, and ranunculus. They offer rose-like appearances and can flourish in places where roses might falter. You’re in the right place if you seek flowers reminiscent of roses.
What flowers look like semi-double roses?
3. Double Anemones (Windflower) Another beautiful flower that look like semi-double rose is a double anemone. Also known as windflower, this great alternative to roses belongs to the family Ranunculaceae. Native to the Mediterranean region, Double Anemones play an important role in Greek mythology.
What flowers look like old fashioned roses?
Ranunculus Ranunculus may as well be the old fashioned rose’s cousin, the flower heads look so similar. These romantic flowers are a great substitute when roses aren’t on hand or affordable. This friendship flower has a wild stem that gives your bouquet a nice, relaxed look. The flower heads are gorgeous, and they have a great fragrance.
Does a rose have a unique or signature look?
While roses have a signature look, there are other flowers that mimic their elegance. These include peonies, camellias, dahlias, begonias, and ranunculus. These flowers offer rose-like appearances and can flourish in places where roses might not.