Dog Rose

The Dog Rose Rosa canina is a scrambling shrub-like rose species native to Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia. It has also been introduced to North America. The rose ranges in height from 1-5 m and its stems are covered with small sharp spines. The flowers are pale pink, 4-6 cm diameter with five petals, and mature into an oval 1.5-2 cm red-orange fruit, or hip. The fruit is noted for its high vitamin C level and is used to make tea and marmalade.

During World War II in the United States Rosa canina was planted in victory gardens, and can still be found growing in wet, sandy areas up and down the eastern U.S. coastline.

Other common names are: Brier rose, dogberry, sweet brier, wild brier, witches' brier, and Brier hip.