Common Wild Rose Rosa virginiana
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ROH-sah ver-jin-ee-AY-nah
- Description
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Virginia Rose is a woody perennial suckering shrub in the rose family native to eastern North America and grows 4-6 feet tall. It is the best of the native roses to grow in the garden. It has pink open flowers in June to Aug. and the stems have numerous hooked prickles. It likes full sun, is easy to transplant, and prefers well-drained acidic soils but is adaptable. It is also salt and punning tolerant. The fall color is lovely.
Grow this rose instead of the non-native varieties to provide food for the wildlife from the flowers to the rose hips and beauty in your landscape.
Potential problems: Blackspot, powdery mildew, aphids, thrips, and mites. Provide this plant with what it needs and problems will be minimal.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Rosa
- Species:
- virginiana
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts birds, bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other critters. Rose hips are edible.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Easy to Grow
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Edibility:
- Rose hips can be used to make jellies and jams.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Rose
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Edible shiny scarlet hips that persist into winter
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Saucer
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 2-2.5 in. single pale pink flowers in summer, usually June-July or into Aug.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Pinnate compound leaves with 7-9 glossy green leaflets 1" to 2.5" long. Purple to red-orange to yellow fall foliage.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Reddish canes with curved prickles
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
- Problems:
- Spines/Thorns
