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small-leaved rose Rosaceae Rosa minutifolia Engelm. Listen to the Latin Print a QR link to this factsheet symbol: ROMI80
Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, serrate, 5 to 7 elliptical to round leaflets, each around 1/4 long, dark green and somewhat pubescent above, pubescent beneath.
Flower: Deep pink to pale pink, 1 1/2 inches across, single, appearing in very early spring.
Fruit: Red-brown, fleshy "hip", 1/2 inch in diameter, covered in sharp prickles.
Twig: Stout, initially green, turning red-brown, covered in thin, straight, sharp prickles.
Bark: Light brown and very spiny.
Form: A small shrub with arching canes that forms a dense cluster, reaches 4 feet.

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Additional Range Information: Rosa minutifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 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