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Prairie rose flowers arise from upper stems, either as single flowers or as groups (corymbs) of 2-4. Individual flowers are 1.5-2" across with five green, lance-shaped sepals half the length of the petals, five pink petals, a ring of numerous (~120) yellow stamens, and a button-like, flattened yellowish central cluster (the stylar disc) of short styles. The fruit is a round, 1/2" diameter rose hip, bright red when mature, with the withered remains of the five long sepals at its tip. Prairie rose prefers coarse, dry soils or sand. Prairie rose is most similar to pasture rose (Rosa carolina) but has hairless flower stalks rather than the glandular-hairy stalks of pasture rose, most flowers occur in groups of 2-4, and its leaves tend to have more leaflets (typically 9; pasture rose has 5-7).

Rosa

Rosa arkansana

prairie rose [Blooms: May-Jul]

Pasture rose flowers are usually solitary, ~2" across on pedicels covered with glandular hairs, with five bold pink (rarely white) petals, five green, pointed sepals covered with glandular hairs, ~100 bright yellow stamens, and a small yellow or yellow-orange stylar disk composed of ~40 pistils and their stigmas. The fruits are typical rose hips about 5/8" across, bright red when ripe; the glandular hairs on the pedicel and sepals persist but the sepals are deciduous and quickly fall off. The flowers are similar to purple-flowered raspberry (Rubus odoratus) but the leaves are completely different (odd-pinnate vs. palmate).

Rosa

Rosa carolina

pasture rose [Blooms: Jun-?]

Multiflora rose's flowering stalks produce abundant white flowers in panicles of up to 30 flowers — in full bloom, a multiflora rose shrub can be breathtaking. Individual flowers are about 1" across, each with five green sepals covered with glandular hairs, five oval white petals, a ring of 35-100+ stamens with bright yellow or orange anthers, and a greenish central column of styles with yellow stigmas. (The only other local species with a stylar column is climbing wild rose, Rosa setigera.) The fruit are 1/4" diameter typical rose hips, hairless, orange-red or red when mature; the sepal remnants are shed before maturity. There are at least two large multiflora rose shrubs on Wooded Island.

Rosa

Rosa multiflora

multiflora rose [Blooms: May-Jun]

Swamp rose flowers arise from the upper stems as single flowers or corymbs of 2-4 flowers. The flowers are 1.5-3" across, with five green, lance-shaped sepals, five pale- or rosy-pink, oval or heart-shaped petals, a ring of about two hundred yellow stamens, and a flat central disc of 24-50 styles that is pink or orange-red (much less often, yellow). The sepals and pedicels are covered with glandular hairs. The fruits are typical rose hips but are quite small (3/8" across, pea-sized), bright red when ripe.

Rosa

Rosa palustris

swamp rose [Blooms: May-Jun]

Rugosa rose flowers are 2-3" across; they have five sepals covered with glandular hairs, five magenta (more rarely pink or white), wrinkled petals, over 100 yellow stamens, and a yellow, flat stylar disc in the center of the flower. The fruits are typical rose hips about 1" across, bright red when ripe. Rugosa rose prefers sandy habitats and sites prone to water stress (e.g., roadsides where salt washes off the roads). The wrinkled leaves and magenta petals, profuse straight thorns/prickles, and large rose hips are distinguishing characters of rugosa rose.

Rosa

Rosa rugosa

rugosa rose [Blooms: May-Jul]

Climbing wild rose flowers are 2.5-3" across with five green sepals five times longer than wide (reflexed, then shed soon after the flowers open); five pale fuchsia to pink petals, usually with a shallow terminal notch; a ring of about 200 golden stamens; and a tall, yellow stylar column with a terminal knob in the center of the flower. (The only other local species with a stylar column is multiflora rose, Rosa multiflora.) The fruits are typical rose hips, bright red when mature, less than 1/2" wide, with no trace of the sepals.

Rosa

Rosa setigera

climbing wild rose [Blooms: Jun -Jul]