Rosa rubiginosa

The sweet briar or Rosa rubiginosa, also known as the Red Briar or Rusty Rose, is a native botanical rose that is cultivated for the scent and ornamental appearance of its charming small single flowers, bright pink in summer, and its numerous, large bright red fruits that remain attached for a long time, colouring the garden until winter! It forms a dense bush, about 2m (7ft) in all directions, with long ramified branches that arch slightly and are equipped with hooked prickles, making this species interesting for the formation of defensive hedges. Its dark green compound leaves have numerous glands that secrete a very pleasant apple scent. This rose, hardy everywhere, likes very bright exposures and all neutral to limestone soils, well drained, and remarkably withstands drought and diseases.

The Rosa rubiginosa is a wild rose native to Europe and Western Asia. Indigenous, it is the most common species of rose on our territory along with Rosa canina. It is distinguished by the apple scent that emanates from the crushed leaves. It is also a pioneer species of open habitats on limestone soils, so although it prefers neutral and rich soils, it does not fear basic, poorer soils unlike other roses. It does not like stagnant humidity and acidic soils and thrives even in sandy to rocky soils. Introduced to other continents for its edible fruits and essential oils, it is now considered invasive in New Zealand.

It is a spiny shrub with a dense and bushy habit. It reaches between 2-3m (7-10ft) in all directions, with a fairly rapid growth. The branches are dense and covered with hooked prickles and stiff bristles. They bear deciduous leaves, divided into 5 to 9 large ovate leaflets of 2.5cm (1in), fairly dark green, glabrous on the upper side and pubescent on the lower side, glandular on the entire surface of their lamina. Flowering takes place from June to July depending on the climate. The flowers are single, composed of 5 petals forming a bright pink cup 2.5 to 4cm (1 to 2in) in diameter. The centre of the corolla, pale pink to white, is topped by a crown of golden yellow stamens. Flowering is followed by the formation of long, fleshy fruits, 1 to 1.5cm (0 to 1in) long, bright red in colour, which ripen from August to October and contain numerous bristle-enclosed seeds. They have the advantage of being edible in the form of jam or preserves or as an infusion. They contain an essential oil with regenerative properties, especially for the skin, and their skin is rich in vitamin C.

The Sweet Briar is a good species for creating fruit hedges or defensive hedges with blackthorns and barberries. It can complement a mass of larger flowering shrubs. It will also find its place in a small sunny hedge, associated with other ground cover roses like 'The Fairy', 'Red Meillandecor', 'Happy Chappy', and many others. Colorful grasses like Muhlenbergia capillaris or the tufted hair grasses will form an interesting contrast with it. Finally, it is a very healthy shrub, never sick, and requires no maintenance once established.

If the passion for botanical roses and their direct hybrids is widespread, it is justified, especially in difficult climates or on poor soils: these roses are not only the parents of our modern roses, but also generally more robust and very reliable.