Rosa rugosa
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Rosa andreae
- Rosa coruscans
- Rosa pubescens
- Phonetic Spelling
- RO-za ru-GO-sa
- Description
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Rugosa rose is a hardy, multi-stemmed, disease-resistant deciduous shrub rose that has fragrant and showy flowers and hips. It grows to 4 to 6 feet tall and as equally as wide with a rounded or mounding habit. Over time the shrub will spread by suckers and forms dense thickets. The stems are erect to arching, stout, bristly, spiny, and have 1/4- inch needle-like thorns. The leaves are alternate and pinnately compound with 5 to 9 dark green leaflets. The surface of the leaves is thick, firm, and wrinkled in appearance. The flowers first appear in late May and persist through the first frost of fall. They appear in clusters or singly, usually 5-petaled in shades of pink to white with showy yellow stamens. Flower colors may vary depending on the cultivar. The fruits are large, cherry-like hips that are bright red to orange. They appear in August and persist through the winter months.
The rugosa rose is a member of the Rosaceae or rose family. It is a native of eastern Russia, Korea, Japan, and northern China. It has been introduced around the world for ornamental purposes; however, it has been invasive in many coastal regions, particularly in New England.
The genus name, Rosa, originates from the Latin name for rose. The epithet, rugosa, is translated as wrinkled and references the appearance of the leaves.
This rose is best grown in moist, acidic to neutral, well-drained soils. It is poor soil tolerant and may be grown in sandy, clay, or gravelly soils. Full sun is required for the best flowering and to increase disease resistance. Good air circulation, avoiding overhead watering, and wet soils decrease the chance of foliage diseases. It withstands heavy pruning and is resistant to damage by deer, rabbits, and rodents due to its prickly stems. Pruning is best done in late winter to early spring. It is also drought and salt-spray tolerant. It may sucker and form colonies, so be careful when planting because these plants can take over the garden. The shrub is reproduced by hardwood stem cuttings or suckers. Deadheading the flowers should be avoided so that a beautiful display of rose hips will be seen in the fall and winter months.
Birds are attracted to the fruits, and butterflies and insects pollinate the flowers. Because of its tolerance to salt and sand, it has been frequently planted in coastal areas to help prevent erosion. Many varieties and cultivars have been developed that have single, semi-double, or double flowers in colors of pink, purple, red, orange, or white. Most roses are susceptible to many diseases such as black spots and powdery mildew; however, the rugosa rose is noted for having excellent disease resistance due to its thicker leaves.
The rugosa rose may be considered as a hedge, screen, or specimen to provide interest and color in the landscape. Flowering from early summer to the first frost, this shrub would be lovely along a slope or bank.
Seasons of Interest:
Bloom: Late Spring, Summer, and Fall Fruit: Summer, Fall, and Winter
Quick ID Hints:
- deciduous shrub, rounded, mounded habit
- stout, spiny stems with 0.25-inch needle-like prickles
- dark green upper surface, alternate, pinnately compounded leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets
- leaflets are elliptic to obovate, 1 to 2-inch long, serrate margins, wrinkled upper surface, and pubescent on the undersides
- flowers appear in clusters or singly as pink to white blooms, 2 to 3 inches wide, with 5 petals and showy yellow stamens
- fruits are large, 1-inch in diameter, cherry-like hips of red to orange
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The rugosa rose is less susceptible to diseases and insects due to its thick leaves. The plant is most disease resistant when planted in full sun with good air circulation. Potential diseases may include rust, rose rosette, black spots, and powdery mildew. This shrub is also susceptible to aphids, beetles, borers, scales, rose midges leafhoppers, spider mites, and thrips, Avoid wet soils.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common rose diseases as well as a factsheet on insects and other related pests.
VIDEO created by Grant L. Thompson for “Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines for Landscaping” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Alba'
White flowers, White Rugosa Rose
'Albiglora'
- 'Alboplena'
Double white flower
'Atropurpurea'
- 'Belle Poitevine'
Semi-double, light mauve-pink flower - 'Blanc Double de Coubert'
Semi-double to double white flower - 'F.J. Grootendorst'
Cranberry red flowers - 'Frau Dagmar Hastrup'
Single pink flower - 'Hansa'
Double, purple red flower - 'Will Alderman'
Double pink flower
White flowers, large scarlet hips, and yellow fall foliage
Gold to orange flowers and orange red hips - 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Albiglora', 'Alboplena', 'Atropurpurea', 'Belle Poitevine', 'Blanc Double de Coubert', 'F.J. Grootendorst', 'Frau Dagmar Hastrup', 'Hansa', 'Will Alderman'
- Tags:






- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
White flowers, White Rugosa Rose
'Albiglora'
- 'Alboplena'
Double white flower
'Atropurpurea'
- 'Belle Poitevine'
Semi-double, light mauve-pink flower - 'Blanc Double de Coubert'
Semi-double to double white flower - 'F.J. Grootendorst'
Cranberry red flowers - 'Frau Dagmar Hastrup'
Single pink flower - 'Hansa'
Double, purple red flower - 'Will Alderman'
Double pink flower
White flowers, large scarlet hips, and yellow fall foliage
Gold to orange flowers and orange red hips - 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Albiglora', 'Alboplena', 'Atropurpurea', 'Belle Poitevine', 'Blanc Double de Coubert', 'F.J. Grootendorst', 'Frau Dagmar Hastrup', 'Hansa', 'Will Alderman'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rosa
- Species:
- rugosa
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The fruits of this shrub are the source of the rose hips used commercially to make tea.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Russia, Korea, Japan, and Northern China
- Distribution:
- Introduced: United States--AK, CT, DE, IL, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, OH, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, and WS; portions of Canada, most of Europe,
- Wildlife Value:
- The plant attracts pollinating insects and butterflies. Birds enjoy the fruits in the summer.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- road salt
- Edibility:
- The fruits or hips are used to make jams and jellies.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Rose
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Dense
- Erect
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Prickles
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits are fleshy, edible, large, cherry-like hips about 1-inch in diameter. They are initially dull green and ripen to bright glossy red to orange by late summer. The seeds or achenes are encased in the hips. Each hip contains 20 to 120 seeds. The fruits are present from August and persist until winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are fragrant and appear in clusters or singly in shades of rose pink or white blooms. They measure 2 to 3 inches wide with 5 petals and have 200 to 250 showy yellow stamens per flower. They bloom from late May to July with intermittent blooming until frost.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are glossy dark green, alternate, and pinnately compound with 5 to 9 leaflets. They are elliptic to obovate and 1 to 2 inches long and 0.6 to 1.2 inches wide with an acute tip. The margins are serrate and rugose. The upper surface is wrinkled, and the underside is greenish-gray and pubescent. The leaf texture is leathery, thick, and firm with a fall color of yellow to orange-red. The petiole is prickly and downy.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are erect to arching, multi-branched, stout, bristly, spiny, and have prickles about 0.25 inches long. The prickles are slender and straight. On young stems, they appear light green and have dense wooly hairs and many prickles. Older branches appear woody and brown.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Poor Soil
- Rabbits
- Salt