Does anyone know were the cherokee rose came from?

Question: Does anyone know were the cherokee rose came from!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The Cherokee rose is native ("indigenous to its soil") to the State of Georgia, it is generally accepted that the flower was introduced in North America from China, via England, sometime in the mid to late 18th century!.

The Cherokee rose is also commonly known as the camellia rose!.

Legend of the Cherokee Rose
When the Trail of Tears started in 1838, the mothers of the Cherokee were grieving and crying so much, they were unable to help their children survive the journey!. The elders prayed for a sign that would lift the mother’s spirits to give them strength!. The next day a beautiful rose began to grow where each of the mother’s tears fell!. The rose is white for their tears; a gold center represents the gold taken from Cherokee lands, and seven leaves on each stem for the seven Cherokee clans!. The wild Cherokee Rose grows along the route of the Trail of Tears into eastern Oklahoma today!.
Source: The Cherokee 1994 Heritage Calendar by Dorothy Sullivan, Memoray Circle Studio, Norman, Ok!.Www@QuestionHome@Com