Plant Details

Rosa virginiana

Rose virginiana

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Rosa virginiana.

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Common names

14 names · 12 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Pasture Rose[1]
  • Rose virginiana
  • Virginian Rose[1]
Other languages (11)
Dutch
  • Virginische roos[1]
French
  • Rosier de Virginie[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 维吉尼亚玫瑰[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 維吉尼亞薔薇[1]
Czech
  • růže viržinská[1]
Danish
  • Glansbladet rose[1]
Finnish
  • kiiltoruusu[1]
Russian
  • Шиповник виргинский[1]
Slovak
  • ruža virgínska[1]
Spanish
  • Rosa de Virginia[1]
Swedish
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Rosa virginiana — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Virginian Rose — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • Pasture Rose — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • Glansbladet rose — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • Virginische roos — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • kiiltoruusu — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • růže viržinská — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • glansros — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • 维吉尼亚玫瑰 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • 維吉尼亞薔薇 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • Шиповник виргинский — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • Rosa de Virginia — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • rosier de Virginie — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.
  • ruža virgínska — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 129195; Rosa virginiana.

General information

Scientific name: Rosa virginiana
Accepted name (Kew): Rosa virginiana Mill. View name reference ↗

Kew accepts the Miller name for Virginia rose. The author-qualified catalogue candidates were reviewed separately.

Sources [2]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Rosa (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Rose virginiana

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 1.50 m
Spread: - m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: Deciduous

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3-7
Soil moisture:
Moist, Well-drained
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Leaves
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Hedge, Fragrant

Description

Fruit: edible both raw and cooked, but be careful. The fruit is small, about 15 mm in diameter, with a thin layer of flesh surrounding numerous seeds that contain tiny hairs. Eating the fruit requires caution due to these hairs, which can cause irritation. In North America, the flower buds of this plant are eaten by Native Americans. Seed: The seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E. They can be ground and blended with flour, or used as a supplement after the hairy layer is removed.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/08
Harvest ends: 31/10

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 846416; name ID 2964569; Rosa L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Rosa virginiana Mill.
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Name heading and taxonomic status; Kew accepts the Miller name for Virginia rose. The author-qualified catalogue candidates were reviewed separately.

    Source checked on .