Rosa virginiana Seeds | Virginia Rose
LATIN NAME: Rosa virginiana
COMMON NAME: Virginia Rose, Common Wild Rose
Plant Profile
Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana) is a shrub in the rose family, native to eastern north America. The Virginia rose is a wild beauty that brings charm of seashore to the garden. It grows as a low, suckering shrub, usually one to two metres tall, with reddish stems and small, glossy, toothed leaflets. When it flowers, local bees and other insects make good use of it. Add these qualities together and you have a species well worth a place in the garden.
Science & Biotechnology
Rosa virginiana sits in the rose family, a group that keeps botanists, horticulturists and plant breeders busy with questions of classification, adaptation and ornamental potential. Its bright red hips are a rich source of vitamin C, and the genus Rosa has been studied extensively for chemistry of its fruits and flowers, including antioxidants and oils used in cosmetics and medicine. Nothing exotic is required: standard seed-sowing practice, done carefully, is enough.
Uses & Benefits
Virginia Rose works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. Ecologically, the Virginia rose is a generous shrub. Its pink flowers feed bees and other pollinators, its bright red hips feed birds and small mammals through winter, and its dense, suckering growth holds sandy soil on coasts and dunes. Hips are rich in vitamin C and are used in teas, syrups and supplements, and shrub is grown as an ornamental for its flowers, its hips and its autumn colour, valued for its toughness and low care. A plant that has settled in will get along with only routine care.
The rose is a medicine chest in disguise: rose hips are among the richest natural sources of vitamin C, standardized hip powder has clinical-trial support for joint comfort, and rose water and oil, the attar of roses, have soothed skin and spirits for a thousand years.
Growing from Seed
Raising Virginia Rose from seed is straightforward. Growing the Virginia rose from seed takes patience, but it is a satisfying shrub to raise. In spring, bring pots to a bright spot and keep them moist. Use a loose, well-drained seed compost, sow evenly over the surface and cover lightly, and keep everything evenly moist in full sun. Once the seedlings have made true leaves, pot them on individually and plant out when they are sturdy and conditions are right.
Our Take
Virginia Rose repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Virginia Rose often pair it with these related subjects: