Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii
Ahart rose, Ahart Rose
Photo: parent species Rosa pisocarpa · no rights reserved · CC0
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii (Ahart rose) is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by . Key features: shorter habit, large leaflets, few flowers, oval fruits.
Ahart rose is a California native shrub found in the northern Sierra Nevada and northern Sierra Nevada Ranges in generally moist areas at elevations of 150 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white to pink flowers in small clusters of 1 to 3 blossoms. Growing 40 to 150 centimeters tall with slender, flexible stems that have sparse small prickles at the nodes, it forms an open, somewhat arching habit. Its compound leaves typically have 5 leaflets, with the terminal leaflet measuring 20 to 45 millimeters long, dark green and somewhat leathery in texture. The fruit develops as a small, nearly ovoid rose hip approximately 8 to 13 millimeters wide with a short neck.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species. Key features: shorter habit, large leaflets, few flowers, oval fruits.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally +- moist areas
Elevation: 150-1700 m
California counties: Butte, Siskiyou, Tehama, Plumas, Yuba, Nevada, Sacramento, Trinity, Shasta, Mariposa, Placer
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii blooms May-Aug.
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 subsp. ahartii native to California?
Yes. Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii bloom?
Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii grow?
Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii occurs in Butte, Siskiyou, Tehama, Plumas, Yuba, Nevada, Sacramento, Trinity and other counties, at elevations of 150-1700 m.
What plant family does Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii belong to?
Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii is in the Rosaceae family, genus Rosa.
What habitat does Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii grow in?
Rosa pisocarpa subsp. ahartii grows in Generally +- moist areas.
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.