Rosa woodsii


Rosa woodsii is a species of wild rose known by the common names Woods' rose, and interior rose.

Distribution and habitat

It is native to North America including much of Canada and Alaska and the western and central United States. It grows in a variety of habitat types, including disturbed areas.
In the Sierra Nevadas, it grows to in moist, rocky soils in mixed coniferous forest, upper montane forest, and subalpine forest.

Description

Growth pattern

Rosa woodsii is a bushy shrub which grows up to three meters tall. The shrubs can form large, dense thickets. The plant reproduces sexually by seed and vegetatively by sprouting from the root crown, layering, and by producing root suckers.

Leaves and stems

The stems are studded with prickles. The deciduous leaves are each made up of several widely spaced sharp-toothed leaflets up to 5 centimeters long.

Inflorescence and fruit

The inflorescence is a cyme of up to a few fragrant flowers with five petals in any shade of pink and measuring up to 2.5 centimeters in length. The fruit is a red rose hip which may be over a centimeter long.