Wild roses are increasingly being introduced into gardens for their old-fashioned beauty, their colorful rose hips and their vigor. These roses are at the origin of most cultivars created in the rose world.
What is a wild rose?
A wild rose, as its name indicates, is a bushy plant growing naturally and spontaneously in the wild, especially in a large part of the Northern Hemisphere. There are about a hundred species, the number varying according to botanists. They agree that these vigorous bushes are all part of the genus Rosa. This genus is divided into 4 sub-genera: Hulthemia, Hesperos, Platyrhodon, and Eurosa. This last sub-genus includes the majority of wild roses that we grow in our gardens.
The flowers of these wild roses are simple and have for the most part only 5 petals spread in a corolla around the stamens.
What are the best-known wild roses?
Rosa gallica has been cultivated since antiquity and is a protected species because it has become rare in the wild. It has bright pink flowers with an intoxicating scent and intense green foliage. It is the ancestor of all old roses and those with a true rose scent.
Rosa canina is the most widespread species in Europe. This rose is better known under the name of 'Rosehip'. The fragrant flowers are simple and white, surrounded by golden stamens. This vigorous rose is an excellent rootstock because it adapts to many types of soil.
Rosa chinensis comes from China as its name indicates. It bears bunches of single or double flowers from spring until the first frost. It is the origin of all the current remontant roses.
Rosa rugosa also originates from the East. Very resistant, suckering, it forms a thorny shrub with large flowers ranging from white to red.
Rosa foetida brought the yellow color in the kingdom of the current hybrids. It is native to Western Asia. Its stems are arching and the foliage is pale green.
Rosa moschata carries bunches of white flowers which give off a musky perfume. The foliage is green purple. It can reach the height of 3 meters in all directions.
Rosa multiflora is widely used as a rootstock. Climbing, it is the origin of many polyanthus roses and modern varieties with grouped flowers. It bears small white flowers with a fruity fragrance that turns pink as it ages.
Rosa hugonis is shrubby. Its reddish-green stems bear green/gray leaves and yellow flowers. It is native to Korea and China.
Rosa pimpinellifolia owes its name to its foliage which reminds that of the burnet. It is thorny and suckers. The foliage is dark green and the flowers creamy white. The fruits are black and purple, very ornamental.
Rosa wichuraiana is a vigorous, climbing or spreading rose with shiny dark green foliage illuminated by an abundance of white flowers in clove-scented bouquets. It is the origin of many sarmentous roses.
