Eggplant mottled dwarf virus (EMDV, genus Nucleorhabdovirus, family Rhabdoviridae) is transmitted in nature by leafhoppers and its natural host range includes vegetable crops (eggplant, tomato, potato, pepper), ornamentals (pittosporum, honeysuckle, pelargonium) and wild plants (caper, Solanum nigrum). The prevalence of infections is generally very low. EMDV has been demonstrated to be the causal agent of a vein yellowing disease of China rose (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) in southern Italy. In this work, four locations from Málaga and Granada provinces (southern Spain) were surveyed in 2011 to study the prevalence of EMDV infections in China rose by serological and molecular methods. Overall, EMDV was detected in 77.3% of the samples (33 out of 45 samples tested). Mechanical transmission tests and immunoelectron microscopy confirmed the presence of EMDV. The possible causes of such a high and unexpected prevalence are discussed. The use of molecular hibridization with an EMDV specific riboprobe is proposed for early screening of vegetative propagated China rose plants to avoid dissemination of infected material.