Virginian Rose
Rosa virginiana
The fruit, or 'hips', contain significantly more Vitamin C by weight than oranges and serve as a vital winter survival food for wildlife.
- Scientific name
- Rosa virginiana
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Rosales › Rosaceae › Rosa
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Salt marshes, wet thickets, coastal dunes, and damp forest edges.
- Diet
- Photosynthesis (Sunlight, water, CO2, and soil minerals).
- Range
- Eastern North America, Atlantic Coastal Plain, Appalachian Mountains
- Size
- 1 to 2 meters in height with a spreading habit.
- Lifespan
- 30-50 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Coastal development, invasive plant competition, and excessive deer browsing.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless but defensive. The stems are covered in sharp prickles that can cause minor skin irritation or scratches; wear gloves if handling. If scratched, clean the area with soap and water.
Rosa virginiana , commonly known as the Virginia rose , common wild rose or prairie rose , is a woody perennial in the rose family native to eastern North America, where it is the most common wild rose. It is deciduous, forming a suckering shrub up to 2 metres in height, though often less. The stems are covered in numerous hooked prickles. The leaves are pinnate, usually with between 7 and 9 glossy leaflets. The pink flowers are borne...
Photo: Benny Mazur, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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