Description
Latin: Rosa Rugosa
Zones: 3-9
Other common names: Japanese Rose, Rugose Rose, Turkestan Rose
Mature Height/spread: 4 – 8 feet tall by 4 to 6 feet wide
Soil / Climate: prefers full sun to partial shade, adaptable to many soil types, drought tolerant
Notes: Rugosa roses are large, sprawling, multi-branched, rose bushes. The canes are covered with spiny thorns. In late summer and early autumn the plants often bear fruit and flowers at the same time. The flowers have a pleasant scent, color is dark pink to white, petals are wrinkled. The leaves typically turn bright yellow before falling in autumn. It is used in landscaping, needs little maintenance, has great cold tolerance and pest resistance. Makes a nice hedge.
Wildlife: After it blooms, the flowers form large red hips that remain on the plant all winter, providing food for non-migrating birds and other wildlife.
Cold Stream Farm supplies Rugosa Rose shrubs which are grown as bare root seedlings and transplants and sold both wholesale and retail with no minimum order.
Additional information on Rosa rugosa can be found on the link: USDA / NRCS PLANTS Database.
Alison Holmes –
I’ve now ordered Rosa Rugosa for a second time from Cold Stream Farm and am very happy with their customer service response and the plants themselves. First off, Rosa rugosa is practically impossible to find locally. i want these for herbal medicine in the rose petals and the generous rose hips. Most roses available in garden centers are hybridized, showy flowers with small hips that I personally would not be comfortable ingesting. I ordered some when I lived in Ohio and they thrived immediately. I’ve since moved back to NC and have just received my order (a little later than anticipated but customer was very responsive) and can hardly wait to get them in the ground.
Susan –
I am so happy to have finally been able to find Rosa Rugosa – the shrub rose with thorns coating the stems, leaves thick and glossy, and a sweet scent. I ordered 6 very small (6-12 inch) Rosa Rugosa in spring of 2022. I put them in a “nursery bed.” It took a few months for the last one, but all 6 survived and thrived. Last fall I moved the last five to permanent locations in varying conditions (most not ideal and all of the plants were significantly larger at that point.). They are fighters! The first one I moved to a permanent location (the best location) has bushed out nicely. The rest are focusing on setting their roots, but are all looking healthy. They are worth babying along until they are well established.