Rugosa Rose

These amazingly tough roses provide us with intoxicatingly fragrant flowers; long lasting, vitamin-rich rose hips; interesting leaf texture – as well as drought tolerance, disease resistance, and deer resistance. They’ll even grow and bloom in partial shade. Why would you ever plant any other rose? 

Rugosa roses were originally wild roses native to Asia, but they’ve been cultivated and naturalized in many parts of the world. Both varieties we carry (see below) will grow to about 5’ to 7’ tall and wide and will spread by runners, making them a good barrier or hedge plant. Rugosas also look great in a mixed border, especially because they don’t need the extra care of sprays that most other roses need. Flowers come in single or double petaled forms and range in color from deep magenta pink to red to pure white and yellows. Once established, rugosa roses only need an occasional soak and prefer full sun, although they will do fine in part sun.

 Here are the two varieties of rugosa roses Shooting Star Nursery carries regularly:

Alba: Big white single flowers – up to 3.5” across – with yellow tufted stamens sit atop deep green, quilted leaves. These lovely, bushy plants are known for their hardiness and tolerance to salt sea conditions. Fat round bright red hips give a bonus of fall color, providing food for local wildlife. Flowers to 3.5” across. Moderate fragrance. American Rose Society rating of 9.2 – out of a possible 10 points.

Hansa: Raspberry-purple, semi-double flowers with a wonderful fragrance (shown above). Great for barrier plantings in cold climates, extremely hardy, large abundant rose hips. ARS rating 8.4 – out of a possible 10 points.

 Fun fact: Rugosas have also been called “sea tomato roses” because of their large orange to bright-red rose hips that appear in fall and last throughout the winter; providing a great source of nourishment for overwintering birds like robins, cedar waxwings, and hermit thrushes. The rose hips are prized by humans too – they’re a great source of Vitamin C and a popular ingredient in tea blends.