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Smooth Rose

Rosa blanda

Smooth rose is a nearly thornless prairie rose with fragrant pink blooms and red hips, spreading into low colonies. Tough and cold-hardy for meadows, slopes, and naturalistic borders. The hips make traditional jams and tea; the petals flavor rosewater, cakes, and sweets. As with any rose hip, strain out the fine seed hairs first, since they can irritate the mouth and digestive tract.

Family

Rosaceae

Type

shrub

Lifespan

perennial

Height

3–5 ft

Spacing

3–5 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

dry

Soil pH

neutral, alkaline, acidic

Bloom

June, July, August

Bloom colors

white, pink

Wildlife value

pollinators, songbirds, butterflies, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~135 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

hedge or screen, foundation, erosion control

Native states

CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SD, VA, VT, WI, WV