Description

The California wild rose is as widespread as it is adaptable. One finds it growing in a wide range of habitats, but perhaps most commonly in seasonally moist areas with some shade. It grows as an open, rounded shrub to about six feet with dark green oval leaves. As with all roses, the California wild rose is protected by thorns, but they are thin and dense, almost more like stiff hairs than thorns. The rose flowers appear in late spring, followed by edible rose hips. Our California wild rose is a very hardy landscape plant. Its only downside is that it will spread by rhizomes quite readily. Site this beautiful shrub where it can form a natural thicket.