Shrub rose

Sun

Full sun is best; tolerates light shade but flowers less freely.

Water

Water regularly during the first growing season. Once established, it tolerates dry spells; water deeply during prolonged drought rather than giving frequent light sprinklings.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, loamy or clay soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Tolerates poor soil and coastal salt exposure, but not persistently waterlogged ground; strongly alkaline soil can cause yellow leaves.

Height

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m)

Spread

4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), spreading farther by suckers if unchecked

Flowers

Fragrant, single pink to purplish-pink flowers, occasionally white, from late spring or early summer, with repeat flowers into autumn.

Foliage

Thick, deeply wrinkled green leaves with toothed leaflets and downy undersides; often turns yellow in autumn. Stems carry numerous prickles.

Growth

Moderate to fast, with established plants forming spreading thickets.

Care needed

Medium

• Water deeply during dry weather in the first growing season.
• Apply a light dressing of compost in spring; avoid heavy feeding on reasonably fertile soil.
• Mulch with 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic material, keeping it clear of the stem bases.
• Remove unwanted suckers promptly, tracing them back to their point of origin.
• Leave spent flowers if you want hips; deadhead selectively if flowers matter more.
• Avoid routine chemical sprays: rugosa foliage can be sensitive, so check product labels carefully.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, remove dead, damaged and crossing stems, then cut a few of the oldest stems to ground level to renew an established shrub. Shorten remaining stems only as needed for space, and wear thick gloves and long sleeves.

Late winter

Renew crowded shrubs by removing selected old stems at ground level.

Spring

Apply compost and renew mulch, leaving the stem bases uncovered.

Late spring

Check new shoots for aphids and remove unwanted suckers.

Summer

Water young plants during dry spells; leave some spent flowers to develop hips.

Autumn

Enjoy the hips and yellow foliage; prevent hips from reaching nearby natural areas where escape is a concern.

Late autumn

Plant bare-root shrubs where suitable, provided the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.

• Use as an informal boundary hedge where there is room for its broad, prickly growth.
• Plant in exposed coastal gardens, away from dunes and natural habitats where it could escape.
• Combine with catmint, hardy geraniums and ornamental grasses for a loose cottage-garden border.
• Place toward the back of a sunny mixed border for fragrant flowers, autumn hips and yellow foliage.

Garden styles it suits: Coastal, Cottage garden, Native hedgerow, Sensory garden, Traditional and English country.

Plant it with: Catmint, Hardy geranium, Lavender, Yarrow, Salvia and Tufted hair grass.

Wildlife: Open flowers provide pollen for bees and other insects. Birds and some mammals eat the hips, and dense stems offer shelter, but wildlife benefits do not justify planting it where it displaces native coastal vegetation.

• Unwanted suckering: dig out suckers with their attached spreading roots; allow generous space and inspect boundaries regularly.
• Aphids on soft shoots: rub off small colonies or dislodge them with water, leaving predators to control the rest.
• Black spot or rust: usually less troublesome than on many roses, but remove fallen diseased leaves and improve airflow if symptoms develop.
• Yellow leaves with green veins on alkaline soil: check drainage and soil pH; use a suitable chelated iron treatment for short-term relief and avoid very chalky sites.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Rose-hip flesh is edible, but remove the seeds and irritating internal hairs before use; eating large amounts may cause digestive upset. The numerous sharp prickles can cause puncture wounds.

Where it spreads. Spreads aggressively by suckers and seed. It is invasive in coastal Britain and Ireland, much of northern and western Europe, the northeastern United States and parts of the Great Lakes region, Atlantic Canada and coastal British Columbia. It can form dense stands that displace dune and coastal vegetation. Check local restrictions and choose another shrub near vulnerable habitats.

• Burnet rose (Rosa spinosissima)

  Has much smaller, usually smooth leaflets, generally white flowers and round hips that ripen dark purple to black rather than red.

• Carolina rose (Rosa carolina)

  Has less wrinkled leaves, fewer prickles, smaller hips and mainly one flush of pink flowers rather than a prolonged repeat display.

• Dog rose (Rosa canina)

  Usually has long, arching stems with widely spaced hooked prickles, smoother leaves and smaller, more elongated hips.

Rosa is the Latin name for rose, and rugosa means wrinkled, referring to the deeply textured leaves.

Propagation. Divide rooted suckers during dormancy or take softwood cuttings in early summer. Seed needs cold stratification and seedlings vary; do not propagate or distribute it where it is invasive or restricted.

Accepted botanical name

Rosa rugosa

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Alaska, Canada, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Native range

China North-Central, Japan, Kamchatka, Korea, Manchuria, Primorye and Sakhalin.

Measured

Soil pH 5.5 to 7.5. Average height 61 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.