Rosa pisocarpa
Cluster rose
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Family: Rosaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Rosa pisocarpa (Cluster rose) is a native California subshrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by Clustered small flowers & pea-sized hips; prickles 0-few, slender & straight.
Cluster rose is a California native shrub found in thickets and moist woodlands, forming dense clusters with straight to slightly curved prickly stems. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces delicate pink flowers 12 to 18 millimeters wide with petals in soft, clustered arrangements. Growing up to 2 to 3 meters tall, the shrub develops arching branches with distinctive woody stems and scattered prickles. Its compound leaves feature terminal leaflets that are ovate-elliptic, generally single-toothed, and slightly wider near the base with obtuse tips. The fruit is a spheric to ovoid rose hip 7 to 13 millimeters wide, with persistent erect sepals and containing 20 to 30 small achenes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Clustered small flowers & pea-sized hips; prickles 0-few, slender & straight
Habitat and range
California counties: Del Norte, Siskiyou, Trinity, Butte, Mendocino, Shasta, Humboldt, Plumas, El Dorado, Fresno, Mono, Nevada, Tuolumne, Yuba, Tehama, Lake, Alpine, Placer, Sonoma
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 pisocarpa native to California?
Yes. Rosa pisocarpa is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Rosa pisocarpa grow?
Rosa pisocarpa occurs in Del Norte, Siskiyou, Trinity, Butte, Mendocino, Shasta, Humboldt, Plumas and other counties.
What plant family does Rosa pisocarpa belong to?
Rosa pisocarpa is in the Rosaceae family, genus Rosa.
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.