Virginia Tech Dendrology

rugosa rose Rosaceae Rosa rugosa Thunb. symbol: RORU
Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, serrate, 5 to 9 ovate to elliptical leaflets, each 1 to 3 inches long, wrinkled upper surface, dark green and glabrous above, slightly waxy and pubescent beneath, obvious stipules at base of petiole.
Flower: White or pink depending on cultivar, 2 inches across, single or double, appearing throughout summer.
Fruit: Shiny deep red, fleshy "hip", 1 each in diameter, ripens in late summer.
Twig: Stout, initially green, turning brown, covered in thin, straight, sharp prickles.
Bark: Light brown very spiny.
Form: A small sprouting shrub that forms a dense cluster, reaches 4 to 6 feet.
Looks like: Woods' rose - dog rose - sweetbriar rose - multiflora rose

Additional Range Information: Rosa rugosa is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and may seed into the landscape. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Fall Color
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information