# California Wild Rose (*Rosa californica*) The California Wild Rose is a beautiful flower with soft pink petals. It grows in sunny places and attracts butterflies and bees, making gardens colorful and lively! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** California Rose ![California Wild Rose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rosa_californica_2004-07-20.jpg&width=800) Photo: Copyright by Curtis Clark, licensed as noted, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosa_californica_2004-07-20.jpg) ## Appearance The California Wild Rose has simple, cheerful flowers with five vibrant pink petals and a bright yellow center. Its stems are armed with sharp thorns, and after blooming, it develops small, round, red-orange fruits called rose hips. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rosa ## Interesting facts - Each fragrant petal is delicate but works with others to attract busy bees for pollination! - Indigenous peoples traditionally used parts of this rose for food and even medicine! - Rose hips are tiny superfoods, full of more Vitamin C than an orange! - Some wild roses can live for hundreds of years, making them ancient plant survivors! ## Special abilities - **Thorny Shield:** California Wild Rose has sharp thorns on its stems that help it defend against hungry animals. - **Nutrient-Rich Snacks:** California Wild Rose grows bright red hips that are packed with vitamins, providing food for wildlife. - **Root Spreader:** California Wild Rose can grow new plants from its roots, helping it spread and colonize new ground. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-300 cm - **Spread:** 100-500 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to late summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from its flowers. - **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on its leaves and tender shoots. - **Eaten by:** [House Finch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-finch) (*Carpodacus mexicanus*) — Eats the vitamin-rich rose hips, helping disperse seeds. - **Shelter:** House Wren (*Troglodytes aedon*) — Builds nests within its dense, thorny thickets for protection. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful not to touch the thorns on the stems, as they can be sharp. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify California Wild Rose? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is California Wild Rose? 50-300 cm ### How wide does California Wild Rose spread? 100-500 cm ### How big are the flowers on California Wild Rose? 2-5 cm ### When does California Wild Rose bloom? Spring to late summer ### Is California Wild Rose edible? Yes ### Is California Wild Rose toxic? None ### What is California Wild Rose's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-regional-wildland-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Alta Vista Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alta-vista-gardens) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Benicia Arsenal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/benicia-arsenal) — California, US · Historic Site - [Golden Hill](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/golden-hill) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Venice Canal Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/venice-canal-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Cougar Mountain Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-zoo) — Washington, US · Zoo [View all places to see California Wild Rose](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/california-wild-rose) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [California Wild Rose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-wild-rose)