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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Rosa virginiana (Virginia rose)
Brundage, Stephanie

Rosa virginiana

Rosa virginiana Mill.

Virginia Rose

Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: rovi2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

The hairy stems of this bushy shrub have scattered, stout, curved thorns, pink flowers and pinnately compound leaves.

Numerous species of roses occur in a variety sites, from dry uplands to wetlands and sand dunes. Their fruit, the rose hips, is rich in vitamin C, and can be eaten, made into jams, or steeped to make rose hips tea. Another pink species, this one of wet sites, is Swamp Rose (R. palustris), which grows to 7' (2.1 m), has flowers 1 1/2-2 1/2 (3.8-6.3 cm) wide, very narrow stipules, and stout, hooked thorns. Pasture Rose (R. carolina) is a shorter shrub, not more than 3' (90 cm) tall, with pink flowers, dull green leaves, very narrow stipules, and straight thorns. It is found in dry pastures and open woods throughout most of eastern North America.

 

From the Image Gallery

17 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Fruit Type: Achene
Size Notes: Up to about 10 feet tall, often shorter.
Leaf: Green
Fruit: Red hip (mature floral tube) surrounding achenes.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Yellow , Purple
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , GA , IL , MA , MD , ME , MO , NC , NH , NJ , NY , PA , RI , TN , VA , VT
Canada: NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC
Native Distribution: Southern Ontario to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia; south to Virginia and North Carolina; west to Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri.
Native Habitat: Clearings, thickets, and shores.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low

Benefit

Use Food: The fruit, known as hips, contains Vitamin C and can be used to make tea and jelly. (Clough)
Warning: Plant has thorns or prickles.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees
Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC FAC FAC FAC
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Rosa virginiana in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Rosa virginiana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rosa virginiana

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-11
Research By: TWC Staff

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