# Dog-rose (*Rosa canina*) The Dog-rose is a lovely shrub with pretty pink flowers and bright red berries. It grows in many places and is often found in gardens and wild areas, making it a favorite for butterflies and bees. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Dog-rose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Divlja_ruza_cvijet_270508.jpg&width=800) Photo: Roberta F., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Divlja_ruza_cvijet_270508.jpg) ## Appearance The Dog-rose is a scrambling shrub with long, arching stems covered in sharp, hooked thorns. It has delicate pale pink to white flowers with five petals, which develop into bright red, oval-shaped hips in autumn. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rosa ## Interesting facts - Dog-rose hips contain more Vitamin C than many oranges! - Its name might come from old remedies used to treat dog bites! - Rose hip syrup was a vital Vitamin C source during World War II! - This wild rose can scramble up trees using its sturdy hooked thorns! ## Special abilities - **Thorn Armor:** Dog-rose has sharp, hooked thorns that help it protect its leaves and stems from hungry animals. - **Vitamin C Power-Ups:** Dog-rose can grow bright red hips, packed with Vitamin C, that feed birds and spread seeds. - **Climbing Claws:** Dog-rose has strong arching stems and thorns that help it scramble over other plants for sunlight. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-500 cm - **Spread:** 100-500 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-6 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Eaten by:** Blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — eats the nutritious rose hips - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — forages for rose hips ## 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. - [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. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be careful not to touch the thorns on the stems, as they can be sharp. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dog-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 Dog-rose? 100-500 cm ### How wide does Dog-rose spread? 100-500 cm ### How big are the flowers on Dog-rose? 4-6 cm ### When does Dog-rose bloom? Late spring to mid-summer ### Is Dog-rose edible? Yes ### Is Dog-rose toxic? None ### What is Dog-rose's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Chadwick Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chadwick-arboretum) — Ohio, US · Botanical Garden - [Bertrand F. Harrison Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bertrand-f-harrison-arboretum) — Utah, US · Botanical Garden - [Provo City Library](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/provo-city-library) — Utah, US · Historic District - [Hoces del Río Riaza Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoces-del-rio-riaza-natural-park) — Castilla y León, ES · Park - [Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe (Kassel)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bergpark-wilhelmshohe-kassel) — Hessen, DE · Park - [Botanischer Obstgarten Heilbronn](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/botanischer-obstgarten-heilbronn) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park [View all places to see Dog-rose](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dog-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: [Dog-rose: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dog-rose)