Plants have evolved sophisticated systems to respond to environmental changes, and growth arrest is a common strategy to enhance stress tolerance. Despite the growth-survival tradeoffs is essential for shaping plant productivity, the mechanisms balancing growth and survival remain largely unknown. Aquaporins play a crucial role in growth and stress responses by controlling water transport across membranes. Here, we present that RhPIP2;1, an aquaporin from rose (Rosa sp.), interacts with a membrane-tethered MYB protein, RhPTM. Water deficiency triggers nuclear translocation of RhPTM C-terminus. Silencing of RhPTM causes continuous growth under drought stress, and a consequent decrease in survival rate. RNA-seq indicates that RhPTM influences expression of genes related to carbohydrate metabolism. Water deficiency induces phosphorylation of RhPIP2;1 at Ser273, which is sufficient to promote nuclear translocation of RhPTM C-terminus. These results indicate that RhPIP2;1-RhPTM module serves as a critical player to orchestrate the tradeoff between growth and stress survival in rose.