Landscaping with Species Roses - Part 2
Bracteata
This group is a group of one, R. bracteata or 'The Macartney Rose', introduced from China in 1793. It is a huge rose, growing easily 30 ft. (9 m) in all directions, and characterized by very hooked prickles that proliferate up the stem. The species was allowed to naturalize in North America during the mid-18th century, and has been considered a native rose since that time. It's most popular hybrid is 'Mermaid'.
Platyrhodon
Another one-species rose group containing R. roxburghii ('The Chestnut Rose') and its hybrids. The rose is sometimes used in landscaping for its unusual foliage (small leaflets in groups of 11 - 15) and prickly hips. The single blooms are large and blush pink, although one hybrid (R. roxburgiss normalis) is white. R. roxburghii plena has double flowers, but retains the blush pink coloration.
Hesperhondos
The group is indigenous to the western coast of North America (California and northwestern Mexico), and contains only two species, R. stellata and R. stellata mirifica or 'The Sacremento Rose' - both of which are lilac-pink in color and singles. They are not particularly good for landscaping except in natural settings where Nature has helped by bringing one or two into the garden.
Next time, we'll look at landscaping with some of the modern variants and groups that derived from these Species roses.