Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

The Nootka Rose, Rosa nutkana, is a rose which is native to the Pacific Northwest. It takes its name from the Nuu-chah-nulth people, who are commonly though incorrectly known also as the Nootka. In California it is most commonly found near the coast from Sonoma County to Del Norte County. Like other wild roses, it prefers moist areas and will become a large, impenetrable thicket. The spines can be rather dangerous so don't plant near walkways. One plant association in which this rose occurs is the Ponderosa shrub forest.

Plant type

Shrub

Size

6 - 10 ft Tall

Form

Upright

Growth rate

Fast

Dormancy

Winter Deciduous

Fragrance

Pleasant

Calscape icon
Color

Red, Pink

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade, Deep Shade

Water

Low, Moderate, High

Summer irrigation

Max 1x / week once established

Ease of care

Easy

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to -20° F

Soil drainage

Fast, Medium, Slow

Soil description

Tolerates sandy or clay soil as long as adequate moisture is available.
Soil PH: 4.0 - 7.0

Maintenance

Prune in winter if needed to control spread

Propagation

For propagating by seed: 5 mos. stratification; preceding this by 2-3 mos. warm stratification may improve germination (USDA Forest Service 1974).

Site type

Moist flats, wet meadows, stream banks, canyon bottoms

Plant communities

Mixed Evergreen Forest, Redwood Forest, Wetland-Riparian

Use with other plants of the north coast such as
Trees: Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Grand Fir (Abies grandi), Maple (Acer spp.), Alder (Alnus spp.), Dogwood (Cornus spp.), Ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus), Pines (Pinus spp.), Willow (Salix spp.), Coast Silktassel (Garrya elliptica), Tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Oak (Quercus garryana or kelloggii)

Other companions: Stream Orchid (Epipactis gigantea), Bog Orchid (Platanthera spp.), Oceanspray (Holodicsus discolor), Lily (Lilium spp.), Seep Monkeyflower (Erythranthe guttata), Buttercup (Ranunculus spp.), Gooseberry (Ribes spp.), Yellow-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium californicum), Hedgenettle (Stachys spp.), Oregon Grape (Berberis nervosa)

May also be used with some rare, carnivorous plant such as Darlingtonia and Drosera.

Bats
Birds
Bees
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 52 likely

Confirmed Likely

Brittania Moth

Acleris britannia

Acleris keiferi

Destructive Pruneworm Moth

Acrobasis tricolorella