Plant Family: Rosaceae
Growth Form: Slender, low-growing, stoloniferous shrub, usually less than 1 meter high.
Leaves: Alternate, compound, with 5 – 9 elliptic, toothed leaflets; the fused portion of the broad stipules are each 1 cm wide for their entire length.
Bark: The canes are slender with a few small prickles; straight, needle-like prickles are seen at each leaf node.
Flowers: Rose-pink, with 5 petals, 4 – 5 cm across, flower stalks may be smooth, but often have obvious sticky glands; June – July.
Fruits: Red, shiny rosehips, 2 cm in diameter, often covered with bristles; late summer.
Habitat: Woodland openings, fencerows, thickets, on wet or dry soils.
Range: Common throughout New England and most of the eastern U. S. and Canada.
Similar Species: Virginia Rose, in the same habitat, has leaf stipules that become wider at the top.
