Washington Native Plant Society: Starflower Image Herbarium

Home > Landscaping > Native Plants for Western Washington Gardens and Restoration Projects

Rosa nutkana

Nootka Rose

At a Glance: Spindly shrub with a pair of prickles at the base of each leaf and large pink rose flowers.

Height: Up to 10 feet (3 meters).
Growth Form: Shrub.
Stems: A pair of large prickles at the base of each leaf; stems are reddish-brown.
Leaves: Alternate, compounded leaves with and odd number (5-7) of toothed leaflets; leaflets have rounded tips, darker green above and slightly hairy underneath; shape: elliptic; size: 1-7 cm long; color: green.
Flowers: Large flower borne singly or in pairs of 2-3 at the branch tips; primary color: pink; size: 4-8 cm across; shape: saucer-shaped.
Flowering Period: May, June.
Fruits: Numerous bony, hairy achenes; the fruits are crowned by persistent sepals and stamens; shape: round; size: 1-2 cm across; color: purplish-red.


Photo © 2003, Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
Prefers direct sunlight. full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	wet moist dry Wetland Indicator Status:	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
Prefers rich soils.
sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils	well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils	humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value

Berries

Seeds

Nectar for hummingbirds

Nectar for butterflies

Host for insect larvae

Thickets and shelter

Thorny or protective cover

Birds: Several bird species eat the hips including grouse, bluebirds, juncos, grosbeaks, quail, pheasants, and thrushes. The seeds are using by birds as a source of grit. Rose thickets are an important shelter and habitat for birds such as pheasants and grouses.
Insects: The leaves are eaten by mourning cloak butterfly larvae. The leaves are used by the leaf-cutter bee. Young rose shoots are popular with aphids which in turn provide food for a wide range of predators including ladybugs and songbirds.
Mammals: Mammals that eat the hips include chipmunks, rabbits, hares, porcupines, coyotes, deer, elk, and bear. The Rose thickets provide important shelter and habitat for many mammal species.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

(data not available)

Suggested References

Alden, P., D. Paulson. 1998. National Audubon Society, Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest. Chanticleer Press. Page 123.
Cooke, S.S. A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington and Northwetern Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society and Washington Native Plant Society. Page 45.
Guard, B.J. 1995. Wetland Plants of Oregon & Washington. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 182.
Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 106.
Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 261.
Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 138.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 74.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from the Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.