Rosa carolina

Carolina Rose

4a–9bHardiness zone

SpringSummer

Peak bloom windowZone 6b · frost-offset weeks

Winter

Not in bloom

Spring

Peak bloom

Summer

Not in bloom

Fall

Not in bloom

Peak bloom

In bloom

Peak bloom windowZone 6b · frost-offset weeks

Winter

Not in bloom

Spring

Peak bloom

Summer

Not in bloom

Fall

Not in bloom

Peak bloom

In bloom

Gallery

Background

Rosa carolina, commonly known as the Carolina Rose or Pasture Rose, is a low-growing native shrub rose found throughout eastern and central North America. It thrives in open woodlands, prairies, roadsides, and pastures, producing single, fragrant pink blossoms with five petals and a bright cluster of yellow stamens in late spring and early summer. Its slender, arching canes bear straight, slender thorns, and the foliage turns attractive shades of red and orange in autumn.

Valued for its hardiness and ecological benefits, this rose supports native pollinators with its accessible single blooms and feeds wildlife with its bright red rose hips, which persist into winter. Because it spreads by underground suckers, Carolina Rose is excellent for naturalized plantings, erosion control, and informal hedgerows, though it may require occasional management to keep it from colonizing beyond its intended space.

Growing roses? Read the Rose Care Calendar - pruning by class, feeding, pests, climbers, and growing for hips, timed to your frost dates.

Good companions

Yarrow Salvias Irises

Care guide

SunFull sun to partial shade; at least 6 hours of direct sun for best bloom.

WaterModerate; water deeply once or twice weekly until established, then drought-tolerant.

SoilAdaptable; prefers well-drained sandy to loamy soil with slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0–7.0).

Spacing3–5 feet apart; spreads readily by suckers to form colonies.

Height1–3 feet tall with a similar or wider spread.

Zone4a – 9b

Native Region

Native range, from wild records. Select a state for its native plants.

Ecoregions:Northern Forests Eastern Temperate Forests Great Plains

Frost hardy

Seasonal tasks

winter

overwinterWinter tidy and protect: After leaf-fall, shorten very long canes by a third so winter wind can't rock the roots loose, and mound compost or bark over the graft union of grafted roses in cold zones.

spring

cutThe main prune: Prune while the plant is still dormant but the buds are swelling - the old cottage rule is to cut when the forsythia blooms.

overwinterFirst feed and mulch: As the buds break, work a balanced rose feed into the soil around the base and lay a thick mulch of compost or well-rotted manure over the root zone (keep it off the stems).

watchInspect new growth for aphids and signs of blackspot or powdery mildew as temperatures warm.

watchWatch for black spot and aphids: As the new growth softens, aphids cluster on the tips and the first spots of fungal disease appear on the lower leaves.

watchSpray roses preventively against yellow spot (rose rust) in preparation - a mix of copper fungicide, milk and water with a little dish soap, plus a garlic spray - before the spots can take hold

summer

watchWatch for black spot and aphids: As the new growth softens, aphids cluster on the tips and the first spots of fungal disease appear on the lower leaves.

watchCheck leaf undersides weekly for yellow spot (rose rust) - once roses get the spot there's no cure, so remove and destroy infected leaves immediately

cutDeadhead through the flush: On repeat-flowering roses, cut spent blooms back to the first strong outward-facing leaf to push the next flush.

watchSecond feed after the first flush: Once the first big flush fades, feed again to fuel the repeat.

watchDeadhead spent blooms if you wish to extend flowering, or leave them to develop hips for fall and wildlife.

watchLast feed of the year: Stop feeding six to eight weeks before your first frost.

watchStop deadheading - let the hips set: This is the single switch that turns spent flowers into fruit: leave the last blooms on the plant instead of cutting them.

fall

cutHarvest the hips: Pick after the first light frost, once the hips are fully coloured and just slightly soft - the frost turns their starch to sugar and takes the astringency off.

Common problems

Powdery mildew

Symptoms

White or grey powdery coating on leaves - usually starting on older growth in humid conditions or when nights cool.

Treatment

Improve air circulation by thinning plants. Apply neem oil or potassium bicarbonate spray at first sign. Avoid overhead watering.

Yellow spot (rose rust)

Symptoms

Bright yellow spots on the upper surface of leaves, with orange-yellow powdery pustules on the underside. Leaves may drop prematurely. Worst in cool, wet springs.

Treatment

Remove and bin all affected leaves - do not compost. Apply a systemic fungicide (myclobutanil or trifloxystrobin) at first sign and repeat every 10–14 days. Spray preventively from early spring before infection takes hold. Improve air circulation by pruning to an open centre.