Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Rosa

Species:

Rosa spithamea

USDA Symbol:

ROSP3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Subshrub

Height:

40 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

pink

Ground Cover:

Yes

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees, small mammals

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; common in chaparral and mixed conifer understories with periodic fire regimes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to chaparral and coastal scrub areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days

Germination Time:

30–365 days

Notes:

Rose seeds have variable dormancy and may take up to a year to germinate even after stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI