Rosa virginiana

Rosa Virginiana is the most common native wild rose in eastern North America. It grows everywhere around our little village. Actually going up the North Mountain from where we live, the small community is named Mount Rose, after all the roses that used to grow along the road. I am lucky to have them along some of the borders of my garden. It covers the ground well with its deep green shiny foliage. It is producing its blooms in early July and August. These begin as pointed buds, opening to small cerise-pink flowers with prominent yellow stamens. 
 

The flowers are followed by small, bright red hips, which endure throughout the winter. The foliage is a bronzy colour at first, gradually becoming green and finally turning beautiful autumnal shades of red and yellow, perfectly complementing the abundant hips. The stems are also attractively tinged with red. It forms a dense, suckering shrub with few thorns. 3 ft x 3 ft. They are so beautiful to look at in the autumn and also looks well as cut flowers to bring indoors. 
 

Common names are Virginia rose, common wild rose and Prairie rose.