A small native rose with five-petaled pink flowers and bright red rose hips. Important for pollinator nectar and wildlife food (birds and small mammals eat the hips).
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Rosa carolina, commonly known as the Carolina rose, pasture rose, or prairie rose, is a perennial shrub in the rose family native to eastern North America. It can be found in nearly all US states and Canadian provinces east of the Great Plains. It is common throughout its range and can be found in a wide variety of open habitats, from thickets and open woods to roadsides and along railroads.
Source: Wikipedia — Rosa carolina Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Shrub with pink 5-petaled flowers; thorny stems; round red hips.
Similar species. Multiflora Rose (introduced; invasive). Pasture Rose. Other Rosa species.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Native rose of eastern North America. Pink flowers attract many native pollinators.
§ Range
Eastern North America
§ Habitat
Dry open woodlands, prairies, road shoulders
§ Threats
Lawn-centric landscapes, herbicide drift, replacement with invasive Asian roses.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the carolina rose is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Plant native roses in garden corners. Don't spray invasive multiflora rose with broad herbicides.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Rosa carolina
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Rosa carolina
- iNaturalist · taxon 53061
- IUCN Red List — search for Rosa carolina
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Rosa carolina
§ Sources cited
- USDA Plants Database
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
