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Rosa acicularis

prickly wild rose

Rosaceae

Northern North America, Europe, and Asia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Fragrant (moderate)

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 2–7

Overview

Rosa acicularis is a deciduous, suckering shrub rose growing 1.5-4 feet (45-120 cm) tall and spreading 3-5 feet (90-150 cm) wide into low thickets. The stems are densely covered with slender, straight prickles and bristles rather than the stout hooked thorns of many roses. Compound leaves carry five to seven oval, toothed leaflets that turn yellow to orange-red in fall. In late spring and early summer it bears single, five-petaled pink flowers about 1.5-2.5 inches (4-6 cm) across, lightly fragrant and borne singly or in small groups. The flowers are followed by red, pear- to egg-shaped hips 0.5-0.75 inch (1.3-2 cm) long that persist into winter and are eaten by birds and mammals. Hardy to USDA zone 2, it is native across northern North America, Europe, and Asia in boreal forests, clearings, and rocky slopes. It spreads steadily by underground suckers, which can form dense colonies and limit its use in confined beds. It tolerates cold and poor soils but needs reasonable drainage and does not thrive in hot, dry climates.

Native Range

Native across the cold-temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including northern North America, northern Europe, and Asia. It grows in open forests, thickets, clearings, and rocky slopes.

Suggested Uses

Used in cold-climate hedges, naturalized borders, wildlife plantings, and erosion control on slopes. The suckering habit suits informal screens and shrub masses rather than tidy beds. Flowers support pollinators and the hips feed birds and mammals through winter.

How to Identify

Recognized by low, thicket-forming stems densely armed with slender, straight prickles and bristles rather than large curved thorns. Leaves have five to seven toothed leaflets, and the single pink flowers have five petals about 1.5-2.5 inches (4-6 cm) across. The red, elongated hips and densely bristly stems separate it from smooth-stemmed and stout-thorned roses.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1'6" - 4'

Width/Spread3' - 5'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring Summer

Blooms from late spring into early summer, typically May to July depending on latitude and elevation. The single pink flowers are lightly fragrant and last about two to three weeks. Red hips develop through summer and ripen in fall, remaining on the plant into winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green, turning yellow to orange-red in fall

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to light shade on moist, well-drained loamy, sandy, or clay soils with a pH of about 5.5-7.5. It is very cold-hardy, suited to USDA zones 2-7, and withstands harsh winters and exposed sites. Established plants need moderate moisture and tolerate poor soils but not prolonged drought or heat. It spreads by suckers, so removing unwanted shoots keeps the colony in bounds. Good air circulation reduces the leaf spot and rust that can affect roses. It needs little feeding and grows well on lean ground.

Pruning

Pruning is done in late winter or early spring to remove dead, weak, or crowded stems before growth begins. Older canes can be cut to the base to renew the shrub, since it flowers on both old and new wood. Suckers are dug or cut out to limit spread.