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Pasture Rose

Rosa carolina

Also known as: Carolina Rose

Low-growing native rose with single pink flowers and red hips. Far better-behaved than invasive multiflora rose. The tart hips are traditionally cooked into syrup and jam, and the petals are a sweet, edible garnish — 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

3–6 ft

Spacing

5–10 ft apart

Light

sun, part shade

Soil moisture

dry, moist, wet

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

May, June

Bloom colors

pink

Wildlife value

butterflies, pollinators, mammals, songbirds, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~135 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

hedge or screen, foundation, rain garden

Native states

AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV