The Pavement rose is really a ‘Rugosa’…whether seedlings, named varieties, or hybrids, all have a strong but delicate fragrance.
Rugosa’s usually have the look of wild roses, with single petals that can be pinkish, purplish or white. They can be semi double or double in the bloom.
The flowers are followed by fruits, called hips, that can be an inch or more across. The hips make delicious jams, tangy tea, and are rich in vitamin C.
Rugosa’s are covered in small spines and the leaves are dark and leathery.
You can count on blooms all summer, in fact mine starts blooming in the spring and is the last of the roses to fade away in the fall.
They must be kept pruned if you don’t wish to allow it to fill out its full potential…keep it pruned to 3 feet or let it grow to 6. The spread can be 4 to 6 feet also. ( this you can also control with pruning )
These beautiful roses are also disease resistant-a good thing !
They will flourish in zones 2-8 with full sun and well drained soil.
When you buy a Rugosa in the pot…make sure it is no more than twice as high as the container. Examine it well for any negatives -dark spots, leaves with holes or brown tips…it will either look really healthy or it will look sick…no in-between.
Each year( late winter )after all danger of freezing is past- cut the oldest stems down to the ground to make room for the new ones. Shorten any very long stems also.
In the spring, once established, it is wise to add some granular rose fertilizer-just once. Never ever over feed them.
Late summer, if you plan to use the hips-harvest them just after the leaves lose their dark green color. Dry them well and process accordingly to the purpose . You can eat them fresh if you like…allow them to stay on the shrub until they turn bright orange…remember they are loaded in vitamin C.
If you only have space for one rose…I would make it a Pavement-Rugosa Rose.
Yes….Southern girls know…it’s OK to wear a rose in the hair!!
It’s akin to mistletoe at Christmas time. (wink)