# Sweet-brier (*Rosa rubiginosa*) Sweet-brier is a lovely shrub with fragrant pink flowers and soft, green leaves. It grows wild in many places and is great for attracting butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Eglantine, Sweet Briar ![Sweet-brier](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rosa_rubiginosa_mit_einigen_Knospen-2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rosa_rubiginosa_mit_einigen_Knospen.jpg : Sebastian Bieber derivative work: Bff, CC BY-SA 2.0 de · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosa_rubiginosa_mit_einigen_Knospen-2.jpg) ## Appearance The Sweet-brier is a deciduous shrub with arching stems covered in sharp, hooked thorns. It has finely serrated, deep green leaves with reddish glands that release a distinctive apple scent. Its delicate, five-petaled flowers are pale pink to white. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Rosa ## Interesting facts - In some places, Sweet-brier is also known by the beautiful, old-fashioned name 'Eglantine rose'! - Its leaves smell exactly like green apples, especially after a fresh rain shower! - Sweet-brier's rose hips contain way more vitamin C than an orange, making them super healthy! - This tough plant can grow almost anywhere, even in poor soil where other plants struggle. ## Special abilities - **Scented Shield:** Sweet-brier has tiny glands on its leaves that release a fresh apple scent, possibly deterring some hungry plant-eaters. - **Hooked Defender:** Sweet-brier has strong, hooked thorns along its stems that help it climb over other plants and protect against browsers. - **Vitamin Treasure:** Sweet-brier produces bright red, vitamin-rich rose hips that provide essential food for birds in winter. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-300 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 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*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Eats:** Eurasian blackbird (*Turdus merula*) — Consumes rose hips, dispersing seeds - **Eaten by:** [Roe deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — Browses on young shoots and leaves - **Parasitizes:** Bedeguar gall wasp (*Diplolepis rosae*) — Lays eggs in buds, causing galls ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [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. - [Thorny Stem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thorny-stem): Pertaining to plants that have stems covered with sharp, pointed projections 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. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [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:** 2/5 · Low Be careful of the thorns when you get close to the plant. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sweet-brier? 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 Sweet-brier? 100-300 cm ### How wide does Sweet-brier spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Sweet-brier? 2-3 cm ### When does Sweet-brier bloom? Late spring to mid-summer ### Is Sweet-brier edible? Yes ### Is Sweet-brier toxic? None ### What is Sweet-brier's lifecycle? Perennial ## 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: [Sweet-brier: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sweet-brier)