Fragrant, single pink flowers 2 in. across May-June. Does not repeat bloom. Red rose hips in August. Prickly stems and smooth dark green foliage turn reddish in fall. Usually forms a loose groundcover at least twice as wide as tall. Often spreads by suckers to form colonies or thickets in the wild.
Native Plant Database
Header Photo: Mervin Wallace
Pasture Rose
Rosa carolina
Plant Type: Shrubs
Native Environment: Prairie, Savanna / Woodland
Season of Interest: Mid (May - June), Late (July - frost), Winter (Nov - Mar)
Main Color: Pink / Rose
Fall Color: Red
USDA PLANTS Range Map
At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data


Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade

Soil
Moisture
Dry, Moderate

Nature Attracting
Pollinators/Beneficial Insects

Wildlife Benefit
Cover, Food/Birds, Food/Pollinators, Food/Small Animals, Nesting

Animal
Resistance
Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant
Size
Height:
1 to
2
feet
Spread:
3 to
6
feet
Size
Height: 1 to
2
feet
Spread: 3 to
6
feet
Size
Height: 1 to
2
feet
Spread: 3 to
6
feet
Typical Landscape Use
Flowers provide nectar for bumblebees and birds eat the hips. Use as a ground cover or mass in shrub borders, bird gardens, naturalized areas or native plant gardens.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Grow in full sun in average moisture, well-drained soil. Can be a runner, best to plant with native prairie companions to help keep it manageable with competition. Expect an aggressive mass if planted in a sea of mulch.
Special Features
Special Usage
Ground Cover
Basic Description
Where Should I Start?
Check out the Grow Native! Committee’s Top Ten picks of native plants for a particular purpose.
What’s the Next Step?
Picked out your plants? View our Resource Guide of garden centers, seed sources, landscapers, education resources, and more!
Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?
Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.