Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa
Wood rose
(c) Walter Siegmund, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa (Wood rose) is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by . Key features: small flowers, few pistils, small fruits, shade habitat.
Wood rose is a California native shrub found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, northern and central Sierra Nevada, central western California, Peninsular Ranges, and Modoc Plateau in forest and scrub habitats at elevations of 30 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces small, delicate flowers with pink to pale rose-colored petals. Growing with upright stems 0.5 to 2 meters tall, it forms an open, somewhat sprawling shrub with arching branches. Its compound leaves typically have 7 to 9 leaflets, with terminal leaflets 10 to 30 millimeters long, elliptic to obovate with slightly obtuse tips. The fruit is an ellipsoid to nearly spherical hip 5 to 12 millimeters wide, containing 4 to 10 achenes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species. Key features: small flowers, few pistils, small fruits, shade habitat.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Generally in shade of forest, scrub, generally not ultramafic substrates
Elevation: 30-2000 m
California counties: Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Plumas, San Luis Obispo, Humboldt, Amador, San Diego, Del Norte, San Mateo, Lake, Monterey
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana
Bloom period
Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa blooms (Feb)Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Camellia: Rosa has compound leaves with multiple leaflets; Camellia has single undivided glossy leaves.; vs Carpenteria: Rosa has thorny stems and compound leaves; Carpenteria is thornless with simple opposite leaves.; vs Hibiscus: Rosa has compound leaves and thorny stems; Hibiscus has simple palmate leaves, thornless.; vs Dahlia: Rosa is woody with thorns; Dahlia is herbaceous without thorns.; vs Cistus: Rosa has compound leaves with 5-9 leaflets; Cistus has simple undivided leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa native to California?
Yes. Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa bloom?
Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa blooms (Feb)Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa grow?
Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa occurs in Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Plumas, San Luis Obispo, Humboldt, Amador, San Diego, Del Norte and other counties, at elevations of 30-2000 m.
What plant family does Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa belong to?
Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa is in the Rosaceae family, genus Rosa.
What habitat does Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa grow in?
Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa grows in Common. Generally in shade of forest, scrub, generally not ultramafic substrates.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.