Wild Rose Shrubs

Definition

• True wild roses, sometimes called species roses, occur naturally. They basically are wildflowers. There are only about 100 native wild rose varieties that grow around the world. The shrubs have single blooms with five petals that are typically pink, although there are a few white, red and yellow varieties.

American Varieties

• The Carolina Rose is seen in thickets and the Swamp Rose is found in marshy areas. These small shrubs bear bright pink blooms and can be found from the Atlantic seaboard to Nebraska. The Prairie Rose is a climbing shrub found in the western United States. It produces a pink bloom that fades to white. Wood's Wild Rose is a hardy wild rose shrub found in the Cascade Mountains of the Northwest. There are other species throughout the United States, with most having five-petaled pink blooms on rather small shrubs.

Imported Varieties

• The Rugosa Rose is a thick, thorny shrub native to the Far East with red or white blooms. These tough, hardy shrubs can grow in almost any climate as long as they receive a lot of sun. The Multiflora Rose is imported from Japan and Korea. It is a small, rangy shrub that can be difficult to contain. It displays sprays of small white blooms.

Planting

• Plant wild rose shrubs along a fence or at the edge of a meadow or planting area, so you are less likely to mow them down. True wild rose plants have a short blooming period. For continuous blooms, choose some of the varieties that have been crossbred. These varieties have the five-petal blooms of true wild roses with repeat blooming throughout the summer months.

Maintenance

• Like other wildflowers, wild roses are a low-maintenance additions to a meadow or wildflower garden. They grow as a shrub with woody stems that lose their leaves in winter. The stems need to be trimmed after the winter. Prune back any dead wood at the top of the canes. New growth will emerge, producing new blooms through the spring and summer.