Wood Roses
Now let’s meet someone a little more retiring (and a lot more prickly).
Whereas the rhody is the springtime life of the party, the wood rose retreats into the shade. It’s delicate and pretty in its own way, but, watch out, it can be bristly too.
Distinguishing Looks: wood roses are “ooh-ah-ouch” sorts of plants.
- Ooh: delicate, serrated leaves flutter weightless in the breeze
- Ah: simple pink flowers remind you of summer picnics and gingham dresses and the simplicity of good old-fashioned manners and neighborliness
- Ouch: thorns along the branches prick your memory that this is a retiring sort of plant, and that pointy fences make good neighbors
Norm and Max:
- 3-6 feet tall, in shrubby clumps stretching upward
Likes:
- Shaded woods
- Producing tiny fruits called “hips” which are technically edible (see video below, including notes about removing the irritants) but an awful lot of work
Nicknames / AKA:
- Baldhip rose (not the most flattering, but it means that the sepals detach early from the fruit)
- Dwarf rose (not much better)
- Wild rose (now we’re talking)
Not to be confused with:
- All of the world’s other roses (which tend to be even thornier)
Resources:
Next: Edible Shrubs
In case you’re starting to get hungry after our stroll through the woodland plants, don’t worry: in our next post, we’ll cover edible plants and berries, including: