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Rosa rugosa

Image of Rosa rugosa

Jessie Keith

Family

Rosaceae

Botanical Name

Rosa rugosa

Plant Common Name

Rugosa Rose

General Description

Cold hardy, beautiful and tough, rugosa rose is a dense, thorny shrub rose native to eastern Asia. It is admired for its beautiful flowers and fruits as well as its resiliency to cold, high winds, ocean salt and drought. It has been introduced to North America and has naturalized across a large area of the northeast and Alaska.

The canes of rugosa rose are thickly covered with small, sharp thorns and compound rosaceous leaves with coarse, green leaflets that turn yellowish gold or bronzy shades in fall. Strongly fragrant, single, pink flowers with yellow stamens appear from early summer through the end of the growing season. White and deep pink flowered variants are also available. Once pollinated by bees and other insects, large, conspicuous, globose rose-hips follow. These turn bright orangish-red and are edible. In fact, they are rich in vitamin C and good for making rose hip jam.

Rugosa rose prefers full sun and average well-drained soil. It is amazingly cold hardy and tolerant of dry sandy soils, salt spray and wind. Plant as a large accent shrub in the mixed border or cottage garden, or use as attractive flowering hedge. There are three natural varieties, alba with white blossoms, rubra with red flowers, and rosea with rose-pink flowers. This tough shrub rose is also great for natural areas and helps feed wildlife.

Characteristics

  • AHS Heat Zone

    9 - 1

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    2 - 9

  • Sunset Zone

    A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

  • Plant Type

    Shrub

  • Sun Exposure

    Full Sun, Partial Sun

  • Height

    4'-8' / 1.2m - 2.4m (6)

  • Width

    4'-6' / 1.2m - 1.8m (6)

  • Bloom Time

    Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall

  • Native To

    Russia/Siberia, China, Japan, Korea

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Acidic, Neutral

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Loam, Sand

  • Tolerances

    Drought, Salt

  • Growth Rate

    Medium

  • Water Requirements

    Drought Tolerant, Average Water

  • Habit

    Oval/Rounded

  • Seasonal Interest

    Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Showy

  • Flower Color

    Pink, Rose

  • Fruit Color

    Red, Orange Red

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    Yellow, Dark Green, Bronze

  • Bark Color

    Green, Sandy Brown, Gray

  • Fragrant Flowers

    Yes

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    No

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    No

  • Flower Petal Number

    Single

  • Repeat Bloomer

    Yes

  • Showy Fruit

    Yes

  • Edible Fruit

    Yes

  • Showy Foliage

    Yes

  • Foliage Texture

    Coarse

  • Foliage Sheen

    Glossy

  • Evergreen

    No

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Usage

    Container, Cutflower, Edible, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    Yes

  • Invasive

    Sometimes

  • Attracts

    Birds, Butterflies

  • Self-Sowing

    Yes