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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

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Saturday - October 20, 2012

From: Cobden, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Soils, Shrubs
Title: Tolerance of rosa setigera of acidic soil from Cobden IL
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

How tolerant is Rosa setigera of acid soil? I would like to plant it in my (very large) garden but the loess soil has a pH of 4.5. Thank you.

ANSWER:

As seen in this USDA Plant Profile Map, Rosa setigera (Climbing prairie rose) grows natively in Union County IL, so it would stand to reason that your soils, climate and rainfall are suitable for this rose,

You can follow the plant link Rosa setigera (Climbing prairie rose) to our webpage on that plant to learn just about all we know about this "wild" rose, one of the very few of the genus Rosa actually native to North America.

From Illinois Wildflowers, here is more information and pictures on this rose.

 

From the Image Gallery


Climbing prairie rose
Rosa setigera

Climbing prairie rose
Rosa setigera

Climbing prairie rose
Rosa setigera

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