Skip to main content
Rosa gymnocarpa, bald-hip rose
1 / 3
Deciduous Shrubs

Rosa gymnocarpa

bald-hip rose

Rosaceae
British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to California; dry to moist conifer-forest understories, forest edges, and open woodlands

At a Glance

TypeShrub
HabitUpright
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-5 feet (0.3-1.5 m)
Width2-4 feet (0.6-1.2 m)
Maturity5 years

Growing Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones

5 - 9
Zone 5Zone 6Zone 7Zone 8Zone 9
These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.
What's my zone? →
Frost Tolerancehardy

Key Features

Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesDrought TolerantFragrant (light)
Native to North America
Maintenancevery low

Overview

Rosa gymnocarpa is a small deciduous shrub in the family Rosaceae, native to dry to moist conifer-forest understories, forest edges, and open woodlands from British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to California. It is the smallest native rose of the Pacific Northwest and the only native regional rose consistently found in deeply shaded coniferous forest interiors. The species epithet 'gymnocarpa' means 'naked fruit' and references the identifying character: the sepals drop from the hip before the fruit fully ripens, leaving a smooth bald hip top, a character not shared by any other Pacific Northwest native rose. Plants grow 1-5 feet (0.3-1.5 m) tall with slender stems armed with numerous slender straight needle-like prickles 1-3 mm long. Unlike most other native roses, the species has no stout paired infrastipular spines at the nodes. The pinnately compound leaves carry 5-9 small hairless leaflets 0.5-1.5 inches (1.5-4 cm) long with doubly serrate margins. From May through July, branch tips produce fragrant solitary (rarely paired) pink to pale pink flowers 0.6-1 inch (15-25 mm) across with 5 petals. Hips ripen August-September to small oval to egg-shaped red-orange fruits 0.3-0.5 inch (8-12 mm) long. Non-toxic; hips are edible and vitamin C-rich.

Native Range

Rosa gymnocarpa is native to dry to moist conifer-forest understories, forest edges, and open woodlands from British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to California.

Suggested Uses

Planted as a small woodland-understory shrub in Pacific Northwest shade gardens and native forest plantings at 2-3 foot (0.6-0.9 m) spacing. The species fills the role of the single Pacific Northwest native rose suited to dry conifer-forest interior, where other native roses decline. The fragrant May-July flowers and small red-orange bald hips support wildlife in shaded settings. Educational plantings use the species to demonstrate the deciduous-sepal identifying character within Rosa, alongside R. nutkana and R. pisocarpa for side-by-side identification comparison.

How to Identify

Identify as the smallest Pacific Northwest native rose, with slender stems carrying numerous slender straight needle-like prickles 1-3 mm long and no stout paired infrastipular prickles at the nodes. The principal identifying character is the deciduous sepal habit (source of the species epithet 'gymnocarpa', meaning 'naked fruit'): sepals drop from the hip before the fruit fully ripens, leaving a smooth bald hip top, a character separating this species from every other Pacific Northwest native rose, all of which retain sepals on the ripe hip. Solitary fragrant pink flowers 0.6-1 inch (15-25 mm) across, 5-9 small hairless leaflets with doubly serrate margins, and small oval red-orange hips 0.3-0.5 inch (8-12 mm). Shaded forest interior habitat is a further field clue because this is the only regional native rose reliably found in deep forest shade.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 5'
Width/Spread2' - 4'

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

pink

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

yellow
orange

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~5 weeks
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
SpringSummer
Fragrant solitary or rarely paired pink to pale pink five-petaled flowers 0.6-1 inch (15-25 mm) across, borne May through July in zones 5-9 over 4-6 weeks. Native bees and other pollinators visit the flowers. Small smooth oval red-orange hips 0.3-0.5 inch (8-12 mm) ripen August-September with the sepal-less bald top; hips are consumed by birds and small mammals through fall and winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Pink to pale pink; fragrant solitary five-petaled 0.6-1 inch (15-25 mm); May-July; sepals drop before hips ripen, leaving small oval red-orange bald hips 0.3-0.5 inch August-September

Foliage Description

Medium green; pinnately compound with 5-9 small hairless leaflets 0.5-1.5 inches (1.5-4 cm) carrying doubly serrate margins; slender needle-like prickles 1-3 mm on slender stems; no stout paired infrastipular prickles; deciduous

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Partial ShadeFull Shade
Tolerates up to 4 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 Range5.0 - 7.0(Neutral)
357912
Soil Types
loamsandrocky
Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in partial to full shade in well-drained to average, acidic to neutral soil at pH 5.0-7.0. Hardy to USDA zone 5. The species is the only Pacific Northwest native rose that tolerates deep coniferous-forest shade and is suited to dry to moist forest-understory plantings. Drought tolerance in shade is greater than that of other regional native roses. Root sprouts spread the clump slowly over several seasons. No fertilizer is applied.

Pruning

Oldest canes are removed to the base every few years in late winter to maintain vigor. Root sprouts are removed to manage lateral spread. Slender needle-like prickles on the stems support use of gloves during handling.

Pruning Schedule

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
early spring

Maintenance Level

very low

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Non-toxic