Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Erect, 1 to several, branched, reddish, bearing slender, unequal prickles.
- Leaves
- Alternate, stalked, odd-pinnately compound; leaflets 7-11, egg-shaped to elliptic, .5 to 2.5 inches long, .5 to 1.25 inches wide, dark green and nearly glabrous above, paler and pubescent below; margins toothed on upper 2/3; tips blunt or pointed; stipules conspicuous, pubescent or glabrous.
- Inflorescence
- Corymb-like, generally 3- or more flowered, occasionally solitary, terminal.
- Flower
- Sepals 5, .5 to 1.25 inches long, persistent, erect or spreading in fruit; corollas 1.5 to 2.5 inches wide, pink to deep rose; petals 5, .5 to 1.25 inches long; tips broadly notched; stamens numerous, yellow.
- Fruit
- Achenes, 15-30, egg-shaped, hairy on 1 side, enclosed in fleshy, globe-shaped, red structure about 1/2 inch in diameter called a rose hip.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Prairies, open woodlands, bluffs, roadsides, and thickets.
- Distribution
- Throughout Kansas.
Practical Information
- Uses
- Rose hips contain high levels of vitamin C and can be eaten raw, stewed, candied, or made into jelly. Many Plains Indian tribes used the hips as an emergency food source.
Additional Notes
Comments
Prairie wild rose is resistant to drought due to roots that can go down more than 20 feet.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Height
- 1-3 feet
- Last Updated
- 2007-09-08
Color Groups
Pink, Red & Orange Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: May, June, July