Plant Family: Rosaceae
Growth Form: Dense, clump-forming shrub up to 2 meters tall that spreads by rhizomes to form impenetrable thickets.
Leaves: Alternate, compound, with 5 – 9 elliptic to oblong, thick, shiny leaflets, veins deeply furrowed above, prominently ridged below.
Bark: The canes are densely covered with sharp prickles and bristles of different lengths.
Flowers: Rose-purple or white, with 5 large petals, 7 – 10 cm across, flower stalks bristly; June to September.
Fruits: Large green rosehips to 3 cm in diameter that ripen to shiny red or orange.
Habitat: Sand dunes, coastal thickets, islands.
Range: Native to east Asia; widely naturalized in coastal New England and scattered sites inland where it may escape gardens and colonize roadsides on sandy or gravelly soils.
Key Features: The sandy habitat and thick, deeply furrowed leaves will identify this hardy non-native.
Comments: Beach Rose was first introduced from Japan to the U. S. in the 19th century as a salt and drought tolerant ornamental; several trouble-free cultivars have been developed for gardeners.
