Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii
Photo: parent species Rosa nutkana · (c) Steph Cárdenas, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by . Key features: openly branched, few prickles, glandless leaflets with single teeth.
Nootka rose is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, and high Cascade Range in generally moist flats at elevations of 750 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pink flowers with delicate, softly layered petals. Growing with openly branched stems featuring generally few prickles, it develops into a loosely structured woodland shrub reaching 1 to 2 meters tall. Its compound leaves have leaflets with single-toothed margins, typically arranged with 5 to 7 dark green leaflets per stem. The fruit is a distinctive red rose hip that provides winter food for local wildlife.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 17 sympatric species. Key features: openly branched, few prickles, glandless leaflets with single teeth.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally +- moist flats
Elevation: 750-1500 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado
Bloom period
Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii blooms May-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 nutkana subsp. macdougalii native to California?
Yes. Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii bloom?
Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii blooms May-Jul.
What plant family does Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii belong to?
Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii is in the Rosaceae family, genus Rosa.
What habitat does Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii grow in?
Rosa nutkana subsp. macdougalii grows in Generally +- moist flats.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.