This introduction is a garden plant which can escape into the wild via birds. The pink flowers remind you of Rosa canina (Common Dog-rose) but the red stems and leaves slightly tinged red are quite different. Roses are not only difficult to identify as species but they hybridise readily so it's best to have a couple of experts to hand which fortunately was the case today.

Rosa ferruginea is not widespread in the British countryside. The distribution is dotted here and there with very few places of high concentration mostly in England. It does grow in Scotland, Wales and Ireland but there are very few records.

Nob End Country Park, Near Bolton, 12th June 2006

Added on 12th June 2006, updated 20th January 2012