Wildlife
- Feeds birds
- Pollinators
- Small mammals
Bees visit the open flowers, and birds and small mammals eat the hips in fall and winter.
Ships bare root
Mature plant shown. Yours ships dormant and bare root.
What arrives
1 dormant bare-root plant, about 18–24 in tall
- No leaves, no pot, no soil. Roots packed moist.
- Ships in your zone's planting window.
- Leafs out about 4–8 weeks after planting.
shrub · edible
Rugosa Rose
Rosa rugosa
- Ships 18–24 in tall
- 1 plant, bare root
- Zones 2–7
- Grows 4–6 ft
$11.95Was $12.95Save 7%
No reviews yet. Be the first to reviewThe quick answer
Rugosa rose is a tough, thorny shrub rose for USDA zones 2-7 that grows 4-6 ft tall and wide in full sun. It is bought for fragrant pink to white flowers from late spring into summer, red hips for tea or jam, salt tolerance, and dense hedges. It is not native and can spread by suckers.
When it ships to you
Zone scheduleHow many?
plants
Free shipping on orders $75+$75
Healthy deliveryOr we replace it
Shipped dormantTimed to your zone
1-year warrantyStore credit, terms
Rugosa Rose plant profile
Mature size4–6 ft tall · 4–6 ft wide
Typical (4 ft)Up to 6 ft
Dense, upright, very thorny shrub that suckers into thickets.
USDA hardiness zones2–7
Sun & growth
SlowMediumFast
Full sun gives the most flowers and best disease resistance; tolerates part shade. Fruit in about 2–3 years.
SoilpH 5.5–7.0
4 acidic6.59 alkaline
Adapts to sandy, clay or poor soil but needs good drainage; tolerates salt spray.
Edible harvestYellow to orange-red fall colorHedge & screen
Flowers & fruit
- Fruit in 2–3 yrs
- Edible
Fragrant pink to white single flowers bloom mainly May to July with scattered blooms into fall, followed by large red hips.
Leaves & fall color
Yellow to orange-red in fall. Deeply wrinkled, leathery green leaves turn yellow to orange-red in fall.
Pests & disease
Thick, leathery leaves give it good resistance to black spot and mildew, especially in full sun with good air flow; rust, rose rosette, aphids and Japanese beetles can occur.
Pruning
Prune in late winter to remove old canes and unwanted suckers; no deadheading if you want hips.
Bare root vs potted
Skip the garden-center markup.
Garden centers buy young plants, pot them, grow them another season and mark them up. We ship yours dormant and bare root, timed to your planting window.
Bare root, from us$11.95ships dormant
Example: 3-gal potted American hazelnut$70–$140online retail prices checked Oct 2026
A year with your Rugosa Rose
SPRINGWrinkled bright green leaves; flowering starts in late spring
SUMMERFragrant pink to white flowers, heaviest May-July
LATE SUMMERTomato-shaped red hips ripen
FALLYellow to orange-red leaves; hips persist
Questions people ask about Rugosa Rose
How cold hardy is rugosa rose?
It is hardy to USDA zone 2 and handles harsh winters, wind and salt spray.
Are rugosa rose hips edible?
Yes. The red hips are edible and are used for tea, jam and syrup; remove the seeds and hairs before eating.
Is rugosa rose invasive?
It can spread by suckers into thickets and has naturalized in many states, especially coastal New England, so keep suckers in check.
How do I make a rugosa rose hedge?
Plant shrubs about 3-4 ft apart in full sun; they fill in to a dense, thorny barrier within a few seasons.
What does a bare-root rose look like on arrival?
It arrives dormant as thorny canes with roots and no leaves; soak the roots and plant right away.
Plant it in 4 steps
- Soak the roots in cold water overnight before planting.
- Dig twice as wide as the roots; plant at the depth it grew.
- Water, then mulch. No fertilizer the first season.
- Water regularly until it's established.
Plant facts checked October 2026 against: Missouri Botanical Garden, NC State Extension.