Smooth Rose
Deciduous shrub reaching 0.5-1.5 m tall. Features compound leaves and fragrant pink flowers blooming in early summer, followed by small red rose hips. Nearly thornless stems. Prefers well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Spreads by underground stems to form thickets. Provides food and cover for wildlife. Suitable for naturalized areas and wildlife gardens. Native to northern and central North America.
Plant Details
Bloom Colour: Pink
Bloom Time: Early-Summer
Sun Requirements: Sun to Part-Sun
Moisture: Dry to Moist-Drained
Phenology: Leaves emerge May. Pink flowers appear June-July. Red rose hips develop August, persisting through winter. Orange-red fall color develops October.
Wildlife Value: Rose hips eaten by birds and mammals through winter; flowers attract native bees; provides nesting cover; browse for deer
Habit Over Time: Creates loose thickets through underground runners, with stems emerging both close to and at some distance from the parent plant. While it can spread extensively in time, the process is gradual and the open growth pattern allows other plants to grow between stems. The arching branches create good structure without being too dense.
Height: Medium to Tall (3-5 feet)