Dog rose
Rosa canina
A tough hedgerow rose that yields vitamin-rich hips and rich pollinator forage as a thorny shrub-layer worker — self-spreading, so give it room.
Dog rose in a syntropic line
Dog rose belongs in the Shrub layer as a Secondary productive species. Support species, fruit, and nitrogen fixers under the canopy. Rough in-row spacing starts around 1.7 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Black locust, Blue-leaf wattle. As a Secondary species it carries mid-term yield and structure while climax trees slowly claim the canopy.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Shrub
- Lifecycle
- Secondary
- Soil preference
- Loam, Sandy
- Soil pH range
- 5.5 – 7.5
- Min. temperature
- -30°C
- Min. rainfall
- 450 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- High
- Frost tolerance
- High
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Irrigation needed
- Low
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Medium
- Origin
- Europe
- Native to Portugal
- Yes
How to manage it
Wild rose for hips, hedging and wildlife; hard prune in winter to rejuvenate and reduce disease.
How to prune
Dog rose responds well to hard winter renewal pruning: cut one-third of the oldest, thickest canes to the base each year and remove dead or diseased wood. Aim for an open, vase-like multi-stem shrub with good airflow. Avoid shearing tips only, as this won't rejuvenate flowering wood.
How to propagate
Layer low branches in autumn, or take hardwood cuttings in winter — layering more reliable.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Thorny and suckers, spreading into hedgerows by seed; birds also disperse hips widely.
Frequently asked questions about Dog rose
Is dog rose frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -30°C when dormant, with high frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does dog rose need?
It does best on loam, sandy ground, at pH about 5.5–7.5.
How much water does dog rose need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 450 mm/year, plus low irrigation once established.
Can dog rose handle wet or waterlogged soil?
It has medium waterlogging tolerance — short winter wet is usually fine, standing water is not.
What should I watch out for with dog rose?
Thorny and suckers, spreading into hedgerows by seed; birds also disperse hips widely.
Dog rose in soil templates
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