description
Rosa canina is a climbing wild rose species of the Rosaceae family.
This deciduous shrub normally ranges in height from 1–5 m, though on occasion
it can climb higher into the crowns of taller trees. Assisting in the
plant's ability to climb are the small, sharp, hooked prickles that cover
its stems.
Rosa canina leaves are
pinnate, with 5-7 leaflets. The plant's five-petaled flowers usually bloom pale pink, but actually vary
in color between a deep pink and white. The flowers are 4–6 cm diameter, and
will mature into an oval 1.5–2 cm red-orange fruit, or "rose hip".
common names & nomenclature
This plant is commonly known as Dog Rose presumably in reference to the species name canina.
However another theory suggests that the plant was once called the Dag Rose— with dag being a dagger. This name derived from the
ubiquitous thorns adorning the plant. The theory then posits that much like the Dogwood
which was originally Dagwood
the name changed into
'Dog' by people who did not understand the allusion.
Also known as:
dog rose, bird briar, briar rose, buckieberries, canker, canker flower, canker rose, cankerberry, cat whin, choop tree, common brier, dog briar, dog brier, hep briar, hep rose, hep tree, wild rose
