Rick’s Native Plant of the Month | Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana)
June 28, 2023
The most common wild rose in eastern North America, Virginia rose is a large, 6-foot suckering shrub with clusters of single, pink flowers throughout midsummer.
Leaves are pinnate and turn red, orange and yellow in fall. Bright red fruits are edible, rich in Vitamin C and good for jams and tea, if you can harvest them before the birds do. Besides birds, this attractive native also attracts bees and butterflies.
Not fussy about soils and very drought-resistant, Virginia rose is useful in hedges and shrubs borders and great for naturalizing.