Rose, Rugosa

Rosa rugosa is a bristly, prickly, sprawling, suckering shrub rose that typically grows in a rounded form to 4-6' tall and as wide. Heavily scented flowers are rose pink to white. Rugosas are very healthy and winter hardy, sturdy shrubs. Their decorative hips are a wonderful source of vitamin C and are so large they’re often mistaken for tomatoes. They have an extended bloom time, flowering until frost, and are prolific producers of hips for food and medicinal use. The plants often have both blooms and ripening hips at the same time. They are favorites because they don’t require spraying, and can grow well even in poor soil, so they don’t need fertilization. They have so many wonderful attributes that they should be included in every garden.