Rosa omeiensis Pteracantha

The Rosa omeiensis pteracantha, also known as Rosa sericea pteracantha or the silky rose, is a unique botanical china rose. It is cultivated for the beauty of its large red and translucent thorns, which are very ornamental on young shoots. The shrub is bushy and dense and produces small white wild rose flowers in early summer that are light as butterflies, fluttering on dark green, fern-like foliage. This plant is very hardy and can tolerate drought well. It prefers sunny exposures and is a beautiful curiosity to introduce in a large garden or a country hedge. Its stems are also widely used in floral art.

The Rosa sericea subsp. omeiensis f. pteracantha is a wild rose originally from the high mountains of central and southwest China. It usually grows between 2000 and 4000 metres (6561 and 13123 feet) above sea level. The rose was first discovered by Abbe Delavay in 1884 in a coniferous forest and was later introduced in France around 1890. The rose is known for its strongly cut foliage with 5 to 13 tiny leaflets with finely jagged edges, which is why it is classified in the same family as the burnet-leaved rose. 

The Rosa sericea is a tall and vigorous bush or shrub that grows up to 2.5 metres (8 feet 2 inches) and a little less in width. Its young branches are grey-green tinged with red, covered with a sheath of fine bristles and armed with numerous triangular thorns, which are very wide at the base (up to 2 cm), crest-shaped, and have a red colour that is crossed by sunlight. They become opaque on older stems. 

The flowering of Rosa sericea occurs in June. It is unique because the white wild roses of this rose have only four petals instead of the usual five. They measure about 2.5 to 3.5 cm (1.4 in) in diameter. After flowering, the plant produces yellow-orange hips that turn red when ripe, covered in persistent spiny sepals. Pruning the plant during spring will help in the production of multiple young shoots.

The love for botanical roses may not be commonplace. Still, it is entirely justified, especially in poor soils or challenging weather conditions. These roses are not only the ancestors of modern roses but are also generally more robust and dependable. The silky rose is an extraordinary and charming rose that is easy to care for and ideal for a curious garden. It can be used as a country or defensive hedge, as it forms a thorny mass that is difficult to cross. Its placement should be carefully chosen so that the light can reveal the magnificence of its thorns. It looks stunning in front of a mass of tall asters (Aster laevis, Aster turbinellus, Kalimeris mongolica, Solidaster), in a wild garden, or surrounded by warm hues such as the autumn foliage of cotinus and deciduous euonymus. In spring, the fragrance and roundness of lilacs, as well as the purity of mock oranges, will pair beautifully with its new growth, while in summer, buddleias and old perpetual roses will take over. This is a very hardy, low-maintenance, easy, and drought-resistant shrub once it is well-established.