Overview
Rosa canina is a vigorous, arching, deciduous shrub in the Rosaceae family, growing 6–10 feet (1.8–3 m) tall and 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 m) wide with long, scrambling, thorny canes. Canes are green to reddish-brown, armed with stout, curved, hooked thorns (prickles) 5–8 mm long spaced along the internodes. Leaves are pinnately compound with 5–7 ovate, serrated leaflets, each 1–1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm) long, medium green, glabrous above. Flowers are single, five-petalled, 1.5–2 inches (4–5 cm) across, white to pale pink, borne singly or in clusters of 2–4 at branch tips. Petals are notched at the apex. Flowers have a light, sweet scent. Fruit (rose hips) are ovoid-elliptic, 0.5–0.75 inch (12–20 mm) long, bright scarlet-red, ripening in September–October and persisting through winter. Hips are high in vitamin C — 10–50 times the concentration found in oranges by weight — and have been used for centuries in teas, syrups, and preserves. The species is the most common wild rose in Europe and is widely used as a rootstock for grafting cultivated rose varieties, due to its vigour, disease tolerance, and compatibility with most cultivars. Self-seeds prolifically via bird-dispersed hips. Naturalised in North America, where it is considered invasive in some regions. Susceptible to black spot (Diplocarpon rosae), powdery mildew, and rose rust (Phragmidium mucronatum), though generally less affected than hybrid teas.
Native Range
Rosa canina is native across Europe, from the British Isles and Scandinavia south to the Mediterranean, and eastward through the Caucasus to western Iran and North Africa. It occurs in hedgerows, woodland margins, scrubland, and disturbed ground from sea level to approximately 5,000 feet (1,500 m).Suggested Uses
Planted as an informal hedge, barrier, or wildlife habitat shrub, spaced 5–6 feet (1.5–1.8 m) apart. The thorny habit deters access when used as a boundary planting. Hips are harvested for food and medicinal use — pick after the first frost for maximum sweetness. Widely used as rootstock for grafted roses. In wildlife gardens, the hips provide winter food for birds including blackbirds, thrushes, and waxwings, and the dense thorny growth offers nesting habitat.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6' - 10'
Width/Spread6' - 8'
Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years
Bloom Information
Single flowers open from late May through June, lasting individually 3–5 days. Each cluster of 2–4 flowers opens sequentially. Bloom period spans 3–4 weeks. Pollinated by bees, hoverflies, and beetles. Hips develop from July, colouring to scarlet-red by September–October and persisting on bare branches through winter.Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
White to pale pinkFoliage Description
Medium greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Plant in full sun to partial shade in any moderately fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5–7.5. Tolerates chalk, clay, and sandy soils. Space 5–6 feet (1.5–1.8 m) apart for hedging, 8 feet (2.4 m) as a specimen. Water during the first growing season to establish; once established, supplemental irrigation is rarely needed. Feed with a balanced rose fertiliser in early spring. Monitor for black spot and powdery mildew — improve air circulation by thinning crowded canes. In the Pacific Northwest, the species grows vigorously and may need annual pruning to control size.Pruning
Prune in late winter (February–March). Remove dead, damaged, and crossing canes. Thin out one-third of the oldest canes at the base annually to encourage vigorous new growth. Shorten remaining canes by one-third to maintain shape. For hedging, trim lightly after flowering and again in late winter. Wears heavy-duty gloves — thorns are sharp and hooked.Pruning Schedule
J
F
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M
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J
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O
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late spring