Woods Rose - (Rosa woodsii)
The Woods Rose is a beautiful, upright, deciduous shrub that appears mostly in wetland and riparian sites, but adapts to a range of moist grounds, and usually the first to show up in disturbed areas.
It can grow between 2-10ft tall, with alternating, odd-pinnate compound leaves affixed with 5-7 deep green leaflets and flowers that range from white, to pink, to a deep rose color. They have rhizomatous, shallow root system that produces prickle-covered, red-brown shoots, making it effective for rapid growth and erosion control. Blooming season starts in late spring and ends in summer, around June-August. At the end of the season, they produce pear-shaped hips (fruiting bodies) that act as a food source for both humans and wildlife.
Like the Nootka Rose, the Woods rose has been commonly used by Native Americans for medicinal and dietary needs – such as the Vitamin C rich hips used in teas, the inner bark boiled down for stomach issues, and the outer bark for a tea to help the muscles. Wildlife use the hips in winter and the leaves in spring and summer as a food source. The thickets, much like the Nootka, are used for nesting and cover for birds.
*Full sun to partial shade
*Requires moist, well-draining and medium texture soil to establish but can become drought tolerant afterwards.
*Typically grows from 2-10ft.
*Sold bare root.
*Sold in bundles of 5.