About

Dense, upright prickly rose, about 1.5m tall, with rich green foliage. Highly aromatic, large, cabbage-like, rosy-pink blooms, each sepal with a mossy crest on the back, opening from buds completely enveloped in moss, once-flowering in midsummer; Vibert 1826.

About the genus

Rosa can be deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs or scrambling climbers, with usually thorny stems bearing compound pinnate leaves and solitary or clustered flowers. Flowers may be followed by showy red or purple fruits in some varieties.

Growing conditions

SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6

Plant details

Plant typeRoses, Shrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden
FragranceFlower
ToxicityFruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers

Care notes

CultivationGrow in an open site with full sun and moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. For best flowering apply a balanced fertiliser and mulch in late winter or early spring. Tolerant of some shade and poor soils
PruningPruning group 20 (roses)
PropagationPropagate by hardwood cuttings
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, rose leafhopper, glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects, caterpillars and rose leaf-rolling sawfly. Rabbits and deer can cause damage
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to rose black spot, rose rust, replant disease, rose dieback, and rose powdery mildews. May also be susceptible to disorders rose blindness and flower balling and sometimes honey fungus