Rosa palustris
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With fragrant pink blooms and arching stems, Swamp Rose brings classic beauty and a light wildness to wetland edges and rain gardens. It grows 4–6 feet tall and blooms in midsummer with single, open flowers beloved by pollinators.
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Thrives in full sun to part shade and moist to wet soils, including clay and standing water. Low-maintenance and disease-resistant, especially when planted in its preferred conditions.
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Forms thickets by suckering, making it perfect for naturalizing along pond edges, wet meadows, or as a living screen. Its thorns and dense growth provide excellent habitat value.
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Native to eastern and central North America, especially in swamps, streambanks, marshes, and wet woods.
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Glossy green foliage emerges in spring, followed by bright pink blooms in summer and red hips in fall. Leaves turn yellow in autumn, and stems provide winter structure and shelter.
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A rich nectar and pollen source for bees, including specialist species, and its hips feed birds and small mammals. Provides excellent cover and nesting habitat for wildlife.
Swamp Rose