Rosa woodsii
Woods' rose
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Don Loarie · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Rosa woodsii (Woods' rose) is a native California subshrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by Rose of interior/desert mountains & Great Basin; obovate leaflets widest above middle, straight prickles.
Woods' rose is a native shrub found in western North American mountain and foothill regions, growing in mixed woodland and chaparral habitats at elevations typically ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from May to July, this rose produces delicate pink flowers about 15 to 20 millimeters wide with five rounded petals. Growing as an open or dense thicket-forming shrub, it reaches heights of 50 to 300 centimeters with relatively straight prickles along its stems. Its compound leaves have 5 to 7 leaflets, each terminal leaflet approximately 10 to 40 millimeters long, with obovate-elliptic shape and single-toothed margins. The fruit develops as a small rose hip approximately 9 to 12 millimeters wide, with persistent erect sepals.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Rose of interior/desert mountains & Great Basin; obovate leaflets widest above middle, straight prickles
Habitat and range
California counties: Mono, Inyo, Los Angeles, Placer, El Dorado, San Bernardino, Madera, Del Norte, Fresno, Plumas, Ventura, Sierra, Nevada, Lassen
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 woodsii native to California?
Yes. Rosa woodsii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Rosa woodsii grow?
Rosa woodsii occurs in Mono, Inyo, Los Angeles, Placer, El Dorado, San Bernardino, Madera, Del Norte and other counties.
What plant family does Rosa woodsii belong to?
Rosa woodsii 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.