Rosa Rugosa

Hi,
I had a question about Rosa Rugosa...looked at the plantfile info here http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53977/ but wasn't able to find out how long the blooms last once the roses open. I have read the flowering season is from June-Sept but am interested to know how long the bloom itself lasts once it flowers. Thanks in advance for any info!

This message was edited Jun 3, 2011 11:44 AM

I'll lead with "I don't know" on how long any one flower of Rugosa Rose lasts on the plant.

That notwithstanding, I think I'm generally right in saying - the flower usually lasts as long as it takes to be (bee?) pollinated. Once that happens, the pretty part has served its purpose and the plant sets about forming fruit/seed to continue the reproductive process. It doesn't read the texts about how long we want to see it bloom.

When I read/see information about months of bloom, I take it to mean that there are some flowers on the plant during that period of time. It usually means that all potential bloom points do not open all at once, and it can mean that new blooming points are growing and forming throughout that period.

I assume that behavior is an evolutionary adaptation to take advantage of various insect populations' assistance in pollination.

You know this is an exotic plant that is native to east Asia?

I called it "exotic" on purpose. I don't know it to be invasive, in the ecological true sense of the word. I would recommend those interested in that aspect to consult professional data from The Nature Conservancy or the local/state Exotic Pest Plant Council.

Hard to believe roses can be bad actors, but Rosa multiflora is as bad as Shrub Honeysuckle or Autumn Olive around here.

The Rugosa roses are not invasive, they are as tough as old boots, very heavily thorned from top to bottom, they flower (each Bud, for about a day, soon as the petals fall they start to grow there bright red / orange rose hips which you can make rose hip jelly / syrup from.
the flowers come in pink, white, cream, yellow and red depending on type, they are grown as a impenetrable hedge, as a specimen or just for the clusters of flowers, the whole shrub flowers over a long period but each flower only a day or 2 when open.
Some folks call them the wild rose as they have been used for grafting standard roses, root stock used for budding some climbers and other more tender types that need a stronger rooting system,
I would think in your area, there is no reason why these roses would not survive, even winter if cut back, mulched and fed, they will give you a greatest show. so good luck and enjoy, just make sure you use gloves when handling them. WeeNel.

I have to disagree on the invasive issue...I have a 10 year old hedge of them and a plethora of volunteers. If they like where they live...full sun, sandy soil, and being ignored (for the most part) they will pay you back by reseeding in a lawn area or what have you also reproduce by rhizomes. The more you cut it back the more aggressive it gets. It can take winter hits of road salt. In some countries they are becoming a nusiance because they can form thickets on dunes altering contour accessibility etc. Once you have them and if they like where they are, you better like them because they are very very tough to get rid of. We pulled all of them out for a client (or so we thought) several years ago. And to this day we see shoots of rugosa trying to re-establish. Seems to love the harsh coast of Maine!
All that said, they are beautiful the scent is divine and the rose hips make one hell of a jelly!
For me here in Maine the majority of blooms occur in the month of June w/ some early July and another flush of blooms late August into September (less dramatic)

They are in bloom now on the Cape Cod National Seashore in MA. We just returned from a visit. They do not appear to be spreading and there seemed to be fewer than in the past. Some nasty vine seems to be the invasive one there.

The fragrance is so delightful.

could be bittersweet...that's a really invasive vine about 3-4 hours north of the Cape...originally people grew it for it's fall color and then poof it became a real problem. I remember beach roses on the cape when I was a kid but not so much on the beaches/dune themselves.
Here's a blossom from my yard (one of my many volunteers!)