Rosa woodsii - Shrub - Common Wild Rose, Mountain Rose, Woods' Rose Page

Discover the beautiful and resilient Woods Rose, also known as Common Wild Rose or Mountain Rose. Named after English rose scholar Joseph Woods, this plant forms dense thickets with its branching roots. Woods Rose grows up to 9 ft tall, boasting vibrant pink to lilac flowers that bloom on branches diverging from old wood. Its fruits, or hips, are fleshy and red, providing excellent nutritional sources for various wildlife, including deer, bears, and a range of birds.
Widely scattered throughout western North America, this versatile shrub thrives from Alaska to Northern Mexico. Adapting to various moisture conditions, Woods Rose often dominates disturbed sites such as road cuts and streambanks, but also gracefully inhabits grassy slopes and forest clearings.
The important ecological role this plant plays shouldn't be underestimated. Woods Rose not only provides food and shelter to many wildlife species, but its persistent hips even sustain a range of animals when snow blankets the ground. Additionally, the rose hips are a nutritious human food source, rich in vitamin C and perfect for flavoring teas, jellies, and cakes.
Signifying strength and resilience, Woods Rose heals damaged landscapes with its effective erosion control and revegetation properties - a perfect addition for rehabilitation projects. Moreover, it is also fire-resistant, often surviving and expanding subsequent to low to moderate severity fires. Given its range of benefits and beauty, why not plant Woods Rose near your home and invite the local wildlife?