Rosa blanda (Early Wild Rose)

Incredibly hardy and thornless or near-thornless, Rosa blanda (Early Wild Rose) is a vigorous, multi-stemmed, suckering shrub forming a dense mound of compound green leaves with elliptical, 5 to 9 leaflets. In summer, it is covered with a plentiful array of fragrant, single, pale pink to white flowers, 2-3 in. across (5-7 cm), with yellow central stamens. As an extra bonus, these are followed by bright red rose hips that are an excellent source of vitamin C. They persist throughout winter to the delight of hungry birds who will feast on them. This wild rose is a lovely addition to a wildlife garden and is useful in meadows, prairies, and dry hillsides where this colony-forming rose can freely grow.

• Grows up to 4-5 ft. tall and wide (120-150 cm). Unless restrained, this shrub rose will spread by suckers to form dense thickets over time.
• Best grown in full sun in humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils. Tolerant to dry soils, alkaline soils, and clay soils.
• This ravishing shrub is a superb addition to prairies and meadows and creates a lovely fragrant flowering hedge.
• Keep an eye out for leaf spots, mildew, and Japanese beetle.
• Attractive to bees and pollinating insects.
• Do not remove spent flowers if you want to enjoy a beautiful crop of rose hips in fall and winter.
• This rose species blooms on old wood, and prune after flowering.
• Propagated by stem cuttings or division of rootstock.
• Native to North America.