Rosa palustris

Common Names

Swamp Rose, Rosier Palustre

Summary

Rosa palustris, commonly known as Swamp Rose, is a North American native shrub forming dense thickets with erect stems bearing stout curved prickles, it grows in wetlands such as swamps, marshes, and along stream edges in moist acidic soils, typically reaches 3 to 6 feet in height, and has dark green pinnately compound leaves with 5 to 7 leaflets, fragrant pink flowers about 2 inches across appear in mid to late spring to early summer, followed by red hips, with foliage often turning red in fall, for cultivation it prefers moist to wet acidic soils and can tolerate some seasonal flooding but not standing water, and performs best in full sun to partial shade with good air circulation to reduce foliar diseases, it spreads by rhizomes and can be propagated by stem cuttings or division, seeds can be collected from hips and require cold stratification, hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9 and suitable for hedges, screens, rain gardens, mass plantings, while providing wildlife value by attracting pollinators and birds

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

36-72 inches

Spread

3-6 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun, tolerates partial sun or partial shade, ranges from full sun to partial sun.

Soil Type

Acidic, moist to wet, rich loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Moist to wet, poorly drained soils

Soil pH

4.0-7.0, slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

Pink

Bloom Time

Late Spring to Early Fall

Foliage Color

Dark green

Fall Foliage Color

Red

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds