Prickly Rose
Rosa acicularis
- Native to:
- Canada, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Russia, Sweden, United States
Ravedave
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Genus:
- Rosa
- Species:
- Rosa acicularis
- USDA Symbol:
- ROAC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Subshrub
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- pink
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, bees
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- yellow, orange
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crown following fire. Common in boreal and montane forests with periodic fire regimes.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers organic matter-rich soils
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–180 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 30–365 days
- Notes:
- Double dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination rates significantly.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for 90 days
Establishment: R. acicularis is found in boreal coniferous forests south to Idaho, Montana through the Rocky mountains to New Mexico
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Requires scarification. Nick or rub between sheets of sandpaper. Requires soaking. Place in warm water until seeds swell, usually 24-48 hours. Discard water and any seeds that remain floating. Pulpy coat inhibits germination. Remove by soaking and rinsing in clean water for approximately 7 days. Discard water. * soak in hot water for 24 hours to scarify; plant at 32°C for 2-3 weeks, then 4°C for 4 months