Create Your Garden

Rosa carolina (Carolina Rose)

Carolina Rose, Pasture Rose

Rosa carolina, Carolina Rose, Pasture Rose, Shrub Roses, Pink roses, Hardy roses

Rosa carolina (Carolina Rose) is a deciduous, suckering shrub with attractive, smooth, dark-green, compound leaves that turn deep red in the fall. In late spring to early summer, a profusion of fragrant, 5-petaled, pink flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm), are on display. Borne singly or in small clusters, they are rich in nectar, attracting bees and butterflies. They are followed by abundant, red rose hips in late summer, which persist on the plant all winter, providing food for wildlife. High in vitamin C, they can be used for making tea or jelly. Carolina Rose is usually an erect shrub, but taller plants tend to sprawl. It features narrow straight spines that are sparsely distributed along its woody stems. Carolina Rose is more resistant to foliar disease than most horticultural roses and tolerates hot dry weather. It is a lovely addition to a wildlife garden.

  • Grows up to 3-6 ft. tall (90-180 cm) and 5-10 ft. wide (150-300 cm). This plant will spread by suckers to form small colonies.
  • Best grown in full sun in dry to wet-mesic, well-drained soils. Tolerates part shade, but the best flowering occurs in full sun. Provide good air circulation to prevent foliar diseases and summer mulch to retain moisture and keep roots cool. This plant has considerable resistance to drought.
  • Perfect for cottage gardens, wildflower meadows, and native plant gardens.
  • This rose species rose has a better natural resistance to rose diseases than most hybrid roses. Keep an eye out for aphids, beetles, borers, scale, thrips, rose midges, leafhoppers, and spider mites.
  • Once established, the plants require no special care and spread slowly.
  • Prune in late winter to early spring.
  • Propagated by seed, cuttings or stolon division.
  • Native to the eastern and central United States, from Maine to Minnesota and in the south from Florida to Texas.

Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 9
Plant Type Roses, Shrubs
Plant Family Rosaceae
Genus Rosa, Rosa - Shrub Rose
Common names Rose, Carolina Rose
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early)
Fall
Height 3' - 6'
(90cm - 180cm)
Spread 5' - 10'
(150cm - 3m)
Spacing 60" - 120"
(150cm - 3m)
Maintenance Average
Water Needs Low, Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy, Fruit & Berries
Native Plants United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Midwest, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southwest, Texas, Oklahoma
Tolerance Drought, Dry Soil
Attracts Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Hedges And Screens
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Rosa (Rose) Rosa (Shrub Roses)
Not sure which Rosa (Rose) to pick?
Compare Now

Alternative Plants to Consider

Rosa rugosa ‘Alba’ (Rugosa Rose)
Rosa rugosa ‘Purple Pavement’ (Rugosa Rose)
Rosa Stormy Weather (Climbing Rose)
Rosa Enchanted Peace™ (Hybrid Tea Rose)
Rosa Sweet Spirit™ (Hybrid Tea Rose)
Rosa Pinkerbelle™ (Hybrid Tea Rose)
View All Our Rosa

Recommended Companion Plants

Symphyotrichum laeve (Smooth Aster)
Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem)
Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed)
Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot)
Ratibida pinnata (Yellow Coneflower)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

Pure White Flowers for a Touch of Elegance in Your Garden
Choosing Your Ideal Hedge: A Guide to Top Shrubs for Any Garden
Add a Splash of Color: Perfect Flowering Shrubs for Small Gardens
35 Flowering Shrubs That Thrive in Full Sun
40 Beautiful Native Shrubs for Shade
Rosa (Rose)
June Birth Flower: What is my Birth Flower?
Underplanting Roses – Companion Plants for Roses
Edible Flowers: 16 Varieties to Beautify Your Garden and Plate
Pretty Roses and Clematis Combination Ideas (Part 1)
Best English Roses for Partial Shade
Underplanting Roses with Low-Growing Spring Bulbs
Great Rose Companion Plants: Allium
Great Rose Companion Plants: Geraniums
Great Rose Companion Plants: Nepeta, Salvia and Lavandula
Great Foliage Plants as Rose Companions
Great Colorful Rose Companion Plants
Pretty Roses and Clematis Combination Ideas (Part 3)
Combine Early-Flowering Clematis with your Climbing Roses
Pretty Roses and Clematis Combination Ideas (Part 2)
Combine Late-Flowering Clematis with your Climbing Roses
Combining Roses and Clematis
Native Plant Alternatives to Rosa rugosa (Rugosa Rose)
Native Plant Alternatives to Rosa canina (Dog Rose)
Native Plant Alternatives to Rosa laevigata (Cherokee Rose)
Native Plant Alternatives to Rosa multiflora (Multiflora Rose)
Best English Roses for Pots and Containers
Most Fragrant English Roses
Best English Roses for Cutting from the Garden
Best David Austin Roses for the Southeast
Best David Austin Roses for Southern California
Best David Austin Roses for Pacific Northwest Gardens
Best David Austin Roses for Gardeners in the Midwest
Best David Austin Roses for Mid-Atlantic Gardeners
Best David Austin Roses for Gardeners in New England
Pretty Climbing Roses for your Garden
Pretty Rambler Roses for your Garden
Climbing or Rambler Roses for my Garden?
All America Rose Selections Winners
Best English Roses for Mixed Borders
Main Rose Types for your Garden
Best English Roses for Hedges
Learn How To Plant And Care for Your English Roses
Plants with Purple Flowers to Add Charm to Your Garden
Plants with Pink Flowers to Add Romance to Your Garden
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Buy Plants

Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 9
Plant Type Roses, Shrubs
Plant Family Rosaceae
Genus Rosa, Rosa - Shrub Rose
Common names Rose, Carolina Rose
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early)
Fall
Height 3' - 6'
(90cm - 180cm)
Spread 5' - 10'
(150cm - 3m)
Spacing 60" - 120"
(150cm - 3m)
Maintenance Average
Water Needs Low, Average
Soil Type Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy, Fruit & Berries
Native Plants United States, Northeast, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Midwest, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Southwest, Texas, Oklahoma
Tolerance Drought, Dry Soil
Attracts Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Hedges And Screens
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Rosa (Rose) Rosa (Shrub Roses)
Not sure which Rosa (Rose) to pick?
Compare Now

Gardening Ideas

Plant Calculator

How many Rosa carolina (Carolina Rose) do I need for my garden?

Input your garden space dimensions

Your Shopping List

Plant Quantity
Rosa carolina (Carolina Rose) N/A Buy Plants

Please Login to Proceed

You Have Reached The Free Limit, Please Subscribe to Proceed

Subscribe to Gardenia

To create additional collections, you must be a paid member of Gardenia
  • Add as many plants as you wish
  • Create and save up to 25 garden collections
Become a Member

Plant Added Successfully

You have Reached Your Limit

To add more plants, you must be a paid member of our site Become a Member

Update Your Credit
Card Information

Cancel

Create a New Collection

Sign Up to Our Newsletter

    You have been subscribed successfully

    Join Gardenia.net

    Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

    Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

    Join now and start creating your dream garden!

    Join Gardenia.net

    Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

    Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

    Join now and start creating your dream garden!

    Find your Hardiness Zone

    Find your Heat Zone

    Find your Climate Zone