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Prairie Rose Wikimedia Commons
Rosaceae

Prairie Rose

Rosa setigera

Wild grace and prairie summer.

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rosa
Native to
central and eastern United States
Bloom season
Early Summer
Type
deciduous climbing shrub
Height
2–5 m
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
average, well-drained
Water
medium
Hardiness
4–9
Lifespan
long-lived perennial

Did you know

  • It is the only native rose in eastern North America that climbs — its arching canes can scramble 5 m through trees.
  • Each pink flower fades to nearly white over its three-day life, so a single plant shows multiple shades at once.
  • Unlike most roses it is dioecious-leaning: some plants are functionally male, others functionally female.
  • It was once the official flower of both Iowa and North Dakota, before either state switched to wild prairie rose.
  • The bright red hips persist into winter and feed cardinals, cedar waxwings, and grouse.

Color meanings

Pink

honest natural beauty

Uses

  • native climbers
  • wildlife gardens
  • naturalized hedges