# 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.

- **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.

## About

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...

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/ebf23f26-1068-42d8-bdaa-ea9e3a8f940e
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/129195
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa virginiana
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/633284/medium.jpg (Benny Mazur, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.