# Nootka rose (*Rosa nutkana*) The Nootka rose is a lovely shrub with beautiful pink flowers. It grows in many 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:** 3 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** Nootka rosebush ![Nootka rose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rosa_nutkana_07513.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosa_nutkana_07513.JPG) ## Appearance The Nootka rose has five large, vibrant pink petals surrounding a cluster of bright yellow stamens, contrasting with its sturdy, often thorny, reddish-brown stems. Its dense, dark green leaves are oval-shaped and serrated, making it visually distinct from common garden roses by its simpler, wilder appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rosa ## Interesting facts - Sweet Medicine! Indigenous peoples traditionally used Nootka rose hips and petals for food and healing. - Tough Survivor! This hardy rose thrives in many harsh coastal and forest environments. - Vitamin C Powerhouse! Its bright red rose hips contain more Vitamin C than an orange! - Wild Beauty! It's one of the few rose species native to the Pacific Northwest. ## Special abilities - **Berry Power:** Nootka rose creates vitamin-rich rose hips that attract birds, helping to spread its seeds far and wide. - **Thicket Builder:** Nootka rose can grow in dense patches, providing excellent shelter and safe nesting spots for small wildlife. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-7 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late Spring to Mid-Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — gathers nectar and pollen from its flowers - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — feasts on its vitamin-rich rose hips - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses its leaves and tender young shoots - **Shelter:** Winter Wren (*Troglodytes troglodytes*) — builds nests and hides in its dense, thorny thickets ## 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. - [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 Nootka 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 Nootka rose? 100-300 cm ### How wide does Nootka rose spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Nootka rose? 4-7 cm ### When does Nootka rose bloom? Late Spring to Mid-Summer ### Is Nootka rose edible? Yes ### Is Nootka rose toxic? None ### What is Nootka rose's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Woodland Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/woodland-park-zoo) — Washington, US · Zoo - [Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/smith-and-bybee-wetlands-natural-area) — Oregon, US · Nature Reserve - [Sandwell Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sandwell-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe (Kassel)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bergpark-wilhelmshohe-kassel) — Hessen, DE · Park - [American Camp - San Juan Island National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/american-camp-san-juan-island-national-historical-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rathtrevor-beach-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Nootka rose](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/nootka-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: [Nootka rose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/nootka-rose)