Wild rose is an intricately-branched, often thicket-forming shrub 3'-9' tall that is armed with stout, somewhat flattened, usually recurved prickles.  The pinnately-compound leaves are composed of 5-7 oval leaflets which are simply or doubly serrate, downy above and hairy beneath.  The inflorescence is 1-20-flowered with ± hairy pedicels. There are five lanceolate green sepals and five showy 1"-long petals, rose-pink in color.  Wild rose has many yellowish stamens and more than ten pistils.  The fruit is a red ovoid, fleshy hip containing the achenes, and is edible.  This quite common species is usually found below 6000' in moist places, near streams, in shaded woods and canyons in many cismontane plant communities, and blooms from May to August.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Rosa 2) californica.
Pronunciation: RO-za ka-li-FOR-ni-ka.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.