roses. Numerous varieties of the popular ornamental shrubs are commercially available and are enthusiastically integrated into their own garden projects by gardeners and rose lovers. Many strains descend from hybrids, which are significantly more susceptible to pests and diseases. In search of robust species that can get by with little care, more and more people are turning to wild roses. These types of roses are characterized by high resistance and positive aspects in the garden.
wild rose species
If you are looking for wild roses, you will be amazed at the selection that is revealed here. Wild rose species sometimes get lost in the crowd of new and well-known varieties. Especially when it comes to particularly decorative flowers, wild roses stay in the background. The flowers of a wild rose are not filled and for this reason have some advantages over ornamental roses:
- attractive to pollinating insects
- form edible rose hips
- Winter food source for animals
- smell quite intense
In addition to the advantages in terms of flowering, wild rose species are suitable for a variety of purposes that arise in the garden or on the property. In comparison, they are quite easy to care for and therefore well suited for beginners who are not yet very familiar with roses. Even the cut can be implemented without major problems, as this does not have to be as intensive as with ornamental roses. Wild roses are often planted as a hedge, as they grow quite densely and their shoots are covered with thorns. This is a natural barrier that also provides shelter for wildlife. If you are interested in keeping wild roses, we will introduce you to 15 species that will thrive in Central European gardens. Many of them are even native and can be found in the wild.
notice: In addition to the actual wild roses, there are also some well-known hybrids such as the Damascene (bot. Rosa damascena) and the centifolia (bot. Rosa centifolia), which are very popular because of their special properties. These are no longer as easy for pollinating insects to reach, but still provide food for bees and others, making cultivation interesting.
Native wild roses
Seven of the 15 wild rose species in this article are native to Central Europe and Germany, which is particularly beneficial for the local fauna. For many people, the individual taxa are difficult to tell apart at first glance, since the flowers look very similar. Except for the pike rose, the petals are rounded and are far apart. The stamens are easy to recognize in all of them and are usually kept in a yellowish hue. The growth is also very similar. However, the flower color and flowering time are often different, as are the rose hips. The following overview will help you to choose a native wild rose:
from A - F
1. Alpine dogrose
- Synonyms: mountain rose, hanging fruit rose, alpine dog rose, mountain rose
- botanical name: Rosa pendulina
- Growth height: 100 to 150 cm
- Flower color: red, pink
- Flowering period: mid-May to late June
- Special features: thornless
2. Apple rose
- botanical name: Rosa villosa
- Growth height: 120 to 160 cm
- Flower color: dark pink
- Flowering period: June to mid-October
- Specialties: edible rose hips, sometimes confused with the potato rose
3. Burnet Rose
- Synonyms: field rose, earth rose, dune rose, rock rose, prickly rose, oat rose, prickly rose
- botanical name: Rosa pimpinellifolia
- Growth height: 120 to 150 cm
- Flower color: white, yellowish white
- Flowering period: mid-May to late June
- Special features: forms runners, particularly resistant to wind
4. felt rose
- Synonyms: False felt rose
- botanical name: Rosa tomentosa
- Growth height: 200 to 300 cm
- Flower color: white, pink
- Flowering time: June
- Special features: important species for pollinating insects, quite rare
by H - W
5. Pike Rose
- Synonyms: Frosted Rose, Redleaf Rose, Redleaf Rose
- botanical name: Rosa glauca
- Growth height: 150 to 250 cm
- Flower color: light pink
- Flowering period: June to mid-July
- Special features: pointed petals, red-green foliage
6. Dog Rose
- Synonyms: heather rose, hag rose, dog rose
- botanical name: Rosa canina
- Growth height: 200 to 300 cm
- Flower color: white-pink
- Flowering period: mid-June to late July
- Special features: Shoots hang down in arches, edible rose hips
7. Wine rose
- Synonyms: Apple Rose, Fence Rose, Sweet Briar, Scottish Wood Rose
- botanical name: Rosa rubiginosa
- Growth height: 250 to 400 cm
- Flower color: light pink
- Flowering period: mid-June to late July
- Special features: many spines, ideal hedge plant, impenetrable
wine rose
notice: Wild roses have prickles and no thorns, despite widespread belief. At first glance, the spines look like thorns to many people, but these can be easily detached from the shoot and do not represent transformed leaves or shoot axes, as is the case with thorns.
Wild roses from all over the world
In addition to native species, be sure to take a look at wild rose taxa native to the US, Asia or other parts of the Holarctic. Since all roses are only found in the northern hemisphere, they are not really tropical plants and for this reason almost all taxa are suitable for keeping in your own garden. The vegetative and generative characteristics are again similar here, but there are clear differences between the individual species because they come from so many foreign regions. The following list introduces you to some types:
from B - K
1. Tufted Rose
- Synonyms: panicle rose, multi-flowered rose, polyantha rose
- botanical name: Rosa multiflora
- Growth height: 200 to 300 cm
- Flower color: pure white
- Flowering period: early June to mid-July
- Special features: ideal for cities, popular with bees and birds, flowers smell of honey
2. China rose
- botanical name: Rosa chinensis
- Growth height: 60 to 160 cm
- Flower: pink
- Flowering period: June to July
- Special features: one of the oldest cultivated rose species, countless varieties and hybrids available
3. Vinegar
- Synonyms: Gallica rose
- botanical name: Rosa gallica
- Growth height: 60 to 100 cm
- Flower color: dark pink
- Flowering period: early June to mid-July
- Special features: particularly hardy
4. Potato rose
- Synonyms: Japan rose, Sylt rose, apple rose, Kamchatka rose
- botanical name: Rosa rugosa
- Growth height: 120 to 160 cm
- Flower color: dark pink
- Flowering period: June to mid-October
- Special features: intensely fragrant, popular with pollinating insects
5. Small-flowered rose
- botanical name: Rosa micrantha
- Growth height: 150 to 350 cm
- Flower color: white, light pink
- Flowering period: May to mid-July
- Special features: bird protection wood
from M - S
6. Mandarin Rose
- Synonyms: blood rose, red tufted rose
- botanical name: Rosa moyesii
- Growth height: 200 to 350 cm
- Flower color: intense blood red
- Flowering period: June to mid-July
- Special features: dense growth, numerous flowers, decorative stamens
7. Musk rose
- botanical name: Rosa moschata
- Growth height: up to 200 cm
- Flower color: white
- Flowering time: blooms more than once a year
- Special features: Original species for many hybrids, almost thornless
8. Sand rose
- Synonyms: dune rose, meadow rose, Carolina rose
- botanical name: Rosa carolina
- Growth height: 100 to 130 cm
- Flower color: light pink
- Flowering period: June to early August
- Special features: forms runners, ideal rose for sandy soils and slopes
tip: If you are looking for a particularly large variety of roses, give the Rosa gigantea a try. As the name suggests, this rose is the largest wild rose species, which can reach heights of up to 30 meters with the right location and a climbing aid.
maintenance
Regardless of whether you are already the proud owner of wild roses or are just choosing a few from the lists mentioned, the care of the attractive plants always follows the same principle. Due to their undemanding nature, wild roses are experiencing a true renaissance and are being planted frequently again. They are particularly popular in gardens that are close to nature, as they do not have to be cut except for use as a hedge. The easy-care pinks are just as suitable for planting on slopes if the right species is chosen. The robust root system stabilizes the soil.
location
Wild roses are not choosy when it comes to location. They don't mind rain or strong winds, making them ideal for a variety of gardens or open plots that struggle with this problem. For this reason, a wild rose hedge is suitable as a windbreak. Even in cities you can bet on the roses. The plants are only dependent on sufficient space (at least two meters apart) and sunny to shady light conditions. Light shade is also possible.
floor
Wild roses have the great advantage that they thrive even in soil that is unsuitable for other plants. Their adaptability enables the decorative plants to use a variety of different properties to their advantage. The following soil conditions are particularly suitable for the roses:
- moderately dry
- slightly damp
- loamy
- sandy
- clayey
- nutritious
- pH: 6.0 - 8.0
The only thing you should avoid is permanently wet soil, as this could otherwise put too much pressure on the roots. Even compacted soil is not really a problem for wild roses.
plant
If you have purchased a specimen from the trade, you should plant it outdoors as soon as possible. The following instructions will help you further:
- Time: spring, autumn
- Dig a planting hole
- Planting hole should be larger than root ball
- Enrich excavated soil with compost
- alternatively lime
- Lay drainage out of gravel
- Put the rose in the planting hole
- fill with excavated earth
- line up
- water well
When planting a hedge, pay attention to the distance to the other specimens. Wild roses can reach large proportions.
watering & fertilizing
You do not have to water wild rose species extra. Only in rare cases, when there is a prolonged dry season, you can water the plant's location. This prevents possible drying out of the site, which in turn would damage the roots. In most cases, however, rainwater is sufficient. If you have not limed the soil or if it is low in lime, you can use calcareous tap water for watering. This has a positive effect on the vitality of the rose family. If you water, never wet the leaves. Optionally, you can mulch if the soil is very dry.
wild rose
Fertilizing is the same as watering. Compared to cultivated varieties, wild roses do not need to be fertilized, regardless of the species. They get along completely without fertilizers. But if you want a particularly rich bloom, you should use one of the following fertilizers in the spring:
- mulch layer
- mature compost
Mix the compost into the soil. Alternatively, use nettle manure every four weeks from spring to autumn. This supports growth and flowering. But don't overdo it with the encore.
To cut
Pruning is not as important with wild roses as it is with many hybrids or specialty cultivars. However, you must prune to maintain the plant's vitality and stimulate flowering. The following instructions explain how to cut back the roses correctly:
- cut with sharp and disinfected scissors
- Frequency: every two years
- Time: February to mid-March
- alternative timing: after flowering
- Remove dead shoots completely
- completely remove dried shoots
- Remove old wood
- Position the scissors at an angle
- don't squeeze
- not tear
If you have a wild rose hedge, you need to trim it once a year. Simply follow the instructions above, as wild rose hedges cannot really be shaped. It's more about thinning out with these. You can of course remove shoots that protrude too far if they reach the sidewalk, for example.
hibernate
Wild rose species do not need to be overwintered. Because the plants are well armed against snow and cold even at a young age and can take good care of themselves. It does not matter whether they are native species or taxa from other regions.
diseases and pests
Wild roses are popular because of their resistance to pests and diseases. They are hardly attacked by pests and even if you discover aphids, the plants remain steadfast. This is also the case with diseases. Because apart from a rare infestation by powdery mildew, wild roses only rarely get sick. Fortunately, the growths usually recover on their own if you thoroughly remove the affected areas.
