This rose is intermediate between Rosa carolina and Rosa suffulta, and has been produced experimentally by Dr. Erlanson by crossing these species. Because of its hybrid nature it is difficult to identify unless one is familiar with our wild roses. In former accounts of the genus the tendency of Rosa rudiuscula to have thick, leathery leaves has been stressed. This characteristic is also found in Rosa carolina and is not invariably present in the hybrid. According to my records this hybrid grows only in prairie habitats where it is more or less frequent, especially in the northern parts of Benton County and in the southern part of Jasper County.

Shrub to 1 m tall

Leaves: pinnately compound, with five to nine leaflets (usually nine on flowering stems). The leaflets are elliptic, tapered at both ends, somewhat leathery, and densely hairy and pale beneath.

Flowers: a few per cluster, borne on main stems of current season's growth and some lateral shoots, with a usually glandular-haired stalk, a sometimes glandular floral tube (hypanthium), more or less persistent sepals becoming spreading to erect in fruit, and pink petals.

Fruit: bony achenes surrounded by the mature floral tube (hip).

Stems: densely bristly.

Stipules: sometimes present, glandular.

Similar species: The characteristics of this species tend to be intermediate of the parents. Rosa carolina is distinguished by its nearly hairless leaflets, usually solitary flowers, stalked-glandular flower stalk and floral tube, and non-persistent sepals. Rosa arkansana is more similar to the hybrid, but has more or less glandless stipules and a nearly hairless flower stalk and floral tube.

Flowering: mid June to late July

Habitat and ecology: Frequent in the western Chicago Region, this species grows on dry prairie remnants and along railroads.

Occurence in the Chicago region: native

Etymology: Rosa is the Latin name for a rose.

Author: The Morton Arboretum