Homegrown Habitat, January 2026: Virginia Rose
Virginia rose’s fragrant, two-inch blooms last for several weeks and attract many pollinators,including bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and beetles. (Photo credit: magnolia1000 from Canada, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
Homegrown Habitat author Sarah Middeleer celebrates the subtle hues of winter and the spectacular colors and vibrancy of summer that can be found in this beautiful rose.
On my way to the kitchen each morning, I stop to peer out a large window to see what’s new in the garden and which winged visitors have stopped by. This winter I’ve enjoyed the view of Virginia rose (Rosa virginiana), with its red hips and stems bringing a welcome dash of color into the surrounding frozen landscape.
But winter is certainly not the only time of year that Virginia rose, also known as common wild rose and prairie rose, is of interest. In June, bright pink blossoms with yellow centers appear. These fragrant, two-inch blooms last for several weeks, attracting many types of pollinators–including bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and beetles.
The highly nutritious fruit, called hips, appear after the flowers have finished. Held in upright clusters at the ends of the twigs, the half-inch hips gradually turn to a shiny scarlet and then darken as cold weather sets in. Finches are especially drawn to the many seeds within the hips, and many other songbirds eat the fruit.
Fruit that lingers into winter provides a critical food source for birds. Even birds that eat insects most of the year will often turn to fruit and seeds in the lean months when insects are difficult to find. These fruits may also become sweeter and easier for birds to digest due to repeated freezing and thawing.
Virginia rose is native to the northeastern U.S. and Newfoundland and often grows in coastal areas, fields, woodland edges, and roadsides. It is quite salt tolerant and sometimes colonizes at the margins of salt marshes. This tough, easy-care plant accepts sandy, dry soils but will also grow in a wide range of other soil types. It prefers full sun and is very drought tolerant.
Related native roses include pasture rose (Rosa carolina), swamp rose (R. palustris), and smooth rose (R. blanda).
Finches are especially drawn to the many seeds within the rose hips; many other songbirds eat the fruit too. Photo by Donald Cameron. Copyright © 2026 Donald Cameron.
Virginia rose grows in an upright form to a height of four feet to six feet and will form dense, thorny thickets if allowed to spread, providing excellent cover for birds and other wildlife. It is a terrific substitute for the invasive, non-native rugosa rose. One author reports that he grows Virginia rose as a low hedge, cutting the plants to the ground each spring, which results in a height of only two feet.
Stem-nesting bees will overwinter in Virginia rose canes, so use caution if you decide to cut the shrub back in spring. Ideally leave at least 10 inches. Gently place cut stems in a protected spot so that any overwintering insects within them can emerge safely at the right time.
The lustrous, dark-green leaves of Virginia rose turn gold, red and purple in autumn. Over 100 moth species, including the apple sphynx and polyphemus moths, utilize its foliage as a larval host. Many of these caterpillars in turn are snatched up eagerly by songbird parents to feed their young, making Virginia rose a valuable resource for any gardener striving to attract birds.
Landscape uses for Virginia rose include bank stabilization, seaside gardens, hedging, and mixed perennial/shrub beds. Plant it near paths, patios, and windows, where you can enjoy its fragrance and get close-up views of the creatures who thrive on its flowers, fruit, and foliage. Consider companion plants such as Amsonia, Baptisia, Canada anemone, flowering spurge, wild strawberry, New Jersey tea, sweetfern, and northern bush honeysuckle.
Virginia rose has a long history of ethonobotanical, culinary, and medicinal uses. Its hips have even reportedly been studied for their possible use in the inhibition of cancer.
Do you grow Virginia Rose? Drop us a line at homegrown@ctaudubon.org and let us know about your experience.
Resources
Books
Anna Fialkoff et al., Native Shrubs for Northeast Landscapes, Wild Seed Project, 2023
Randi Minetor, New England Bird Lover’s Garden, Globe Pequot, 2016
Tyler Refsland et al., Gardening for Biodiversity Native Plants for the Northeast, Wild Seed Project, 2025
Websites
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
