Wild Rose

Wild rose refers to several species in the genus Rosa in Banff National Park; most commonly prickly rose (Rosa acicularis) and Woods’ rose (R. woodsii). Both are deciduous shrubs with thorny stems and showy pink flowers.

Identification: Thorny, multi-stemmed shrubs (0.5–2 m); compound leaves with 5–9 leaflets; five-petaled pink flowers in spring and summer; red rose hips in fall. Prickly rose has curved thorns; Woods’ rose has straight thorns and occurs at lower elevations.

Habitat: Montane and subalpine; open forests, forest edges, meadows, riparian zones, and disturbed sites. Often with Saskatoon, buffaloberry, and shrubby cinquefoil.

Ecology: Flowers attract pollinators; rose hips persist into winter; food for birds and mammals. Indigenous peoples used hips for food and tea (high in vitamin C); petals for flavouring.