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19 Different Types of Wild Roses (With Pictures)
Ed Malaker
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Wild roses are extremely attractive, and it can be a lot of fun to grow them if you have space in your yard. They are also quite romantic and will make any environment more inviting. If you would like to add roses to your property but aren’t sure what varieties are available, keep reading while we look at several varieties to help you pick the best one for your home.
The 19 Different Types of Wild Roses
1. Alpine Dog Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
The alpine dog rose has many names, including the mountain rose and hanging fruit rose. It’s a compact shrub that can grow more than 6 feet tall with straight, bristle-like spines. It has an extended flowering season starting in early May and extending until late July.
2. Apothecary Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
The apothecary rose typically has dark pink flowers with a yellow center. It’s a popular ingredient in potpourri and is an attractive addition to the yard. It flowers once in the spring and usually grows to 3 or 4 feet tall. It gets its name from its medicinal properties because it’s high in vitamin C and other nutrients that can help heal certain illnesses.
The Chinese golden rose is one of the few yellow wild roses. It can grow to almost 6 feet tall but doesn’t do well in cold temperatures, so you might need to take steps to protect it during a frost.
4. Cinnamon Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
The cinnamon rose is easy to find in the Northeastern United States, and it enjoys growing in meadows and fields where it will receive plenty of sunlight. It produces brightly colored flowers with smooth stems.
The dog rose is an aggressive grower, so some people might consider it invasive. It can climb or remain a shrub, and it has a long history that dates back to Hippocrates. It gets its name from an ancient belief that the flower could cure the bite of a mad dog.
6. Dune Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
The dune rose is so named because it likes to grow on the dunes of the North Sea coast, and it can tolerate salty air and water better than many other species. It can also tolerate extremely high altitudes better than many other varieties. The flowers are pink, red, and yellow, and they begin to blossom in mid-May.
7. Gloss Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
The gloss rose is similar to other varieties with red leaves and a yellow center. However, the yellow in the center may be dim or nonexistent in this species, with only the red, pink, or white showing.
As the name suggests, the Japanese rose is native to Japan, Russia, China, and Korea. It can grow up to 6 feet tall and enjoys moist, slightly acidic soil. Plant it in full sun for more flowers and better disease resistance. It’s a hardy plant perfect for the Northern United States, where it can get quite cold.
9. Magnificent Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
The magnificent rose is a smaller variety that is especially useful in hanging baskets. It has large green leaves, and the flowers droop down and point at the ground.
The mandarin rose is a Chinese native plant with blood-red flowers. It’s a hardy breed that can grow to more than 6 feet tall, and it enjoys plenty of sunlight. It has a strong honey fragrance when it first blooms in early June, which many people enjoy.
11. Meadow Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
Some people will call the meadow rose a smooth rose or an early wild rose. It has almost no thorns, so it’s a popular variety for growing and giving. It can grow up to 5 feet tall with pink flowers with yellow centers. It’s a great plant for attracting birds and bees.
The redleaf rose is a large species that many people grow for its arching stems and blue-green foliage, which accentuates its light pink flowers. It only blooms once per year but is a favorite of many bird species.
13. Rose Apple
Image Credit: Pixabay
The rose apple is a shrub that can grow to more than 40 feet tall. It has dark green leaves and creamy white flowers in clusters of four or five. It’s been a popular fruit tree since the 1700s and first came to America in the late 1800s, and you can still find it easily on the islands of Hawaii. Growers can plant it for its tasty fruit or as an attractive windbreak.
The small-flowered sweet-briar rose is a small rose that you can find all over Europe. It’s also easy to find in the Northeastern and Northwestern United States. Like many other varieties, it enjoys open fields and meadows to get plenty of sunlight, and the soil isn’t too wet or dry.
15. Soft Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
You can find the soft rose easily in Europe and Asia, and in June and July, it produces pink flowers that are very delicate, giving it its name. The leaves are soft and hairy, and the spines are thin and straight.
16. Tufted Rose
Image Credit: Pixabay
The tufted rose is a hardy breed that experts believe can grow anywhere in the United States. It’s highly fragrant with light-colored flowers that many people enjoy. The flowers also attract many butterflies and bees, so it’s great for the environment, and with adequate watering, it will bloom all summer long.
The Virginia rose usually grows to about 6 feet tall, and you can find it easily in the Northeast United States. It has pink flowers with yellow centers that tend to bloom in early June and last through August. It’s prone to mildew and insect problems, but it’s easier to keep healthy if you grow it in plenty of sunlight.
The wedge-leaved rose is a flowering plant that you can find in California. It enjoys coastal sandy areas and can grow to a little more than 2 feet tall. It has hairy leaves and stems, and the flower clusters hold several flowers, which can be red, pink, or white.
The wine rose can also be called a summer wine rose, and it’s a medium-sized climber with fragrant flowers that can reach more than 4 inches in diameter. It enjoys plenty of sunlight and rich soil, and it begins to bloom in early spring. Owners often plant it near decks and porches where people congregate so they can enjoy its powerful fragrance.
As you can see, there are plenty of roses to choose from, and the one you pick will largely depend on how much space you have and the kind of flower you want. There are many different kinds of flowers, but many of them have in common that they only bloom once a year. They also tend to enjoy plenty of sunshine and slightly acidic soil, which is why many people recommend pouring a glass of wine into the dirt every few months to provide just the right amount of acid. The meadow rose is one of our favorites because it has no thorns, so it’s easy to handle and prune, but every variety on this list will make a fantastic addition to your yard.
Ed Malaker is an experienced writer who has brought his knowledge to a wide range of blogs, including home improvement, guitars, computer programming, tools, fitness, and pets. If you don't catch him writing, you can usually find Ed working in the garden or taking on DIY projects around the house. Ed’s also a talented musician, spending time composing music for independent films or helping people fix their guitars.
Ed Malaker
