Living Beings
    Source-identified Rosa canina; Documentary organism photograph; source identification retained. Framed for display
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    Hondsroos (Rosa canina) in een struweel van de associatie van sleedoorn en eenstijlige meidoorn (Pruno-Crataegetum).jpg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Documentary organism photograph; source identification retained. Cultureel Gelderland · CC0

    Field guide · species

    Dog Rose

    Rosa canina L., 1753

    What does the authority mean?

    The authority credits the formal scientific description of the name. A year records publication of that description.

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    ViridiplantaeMagnoliopsidaRosalesRosaceae

    The dog rose is a scrambling wild rose whose arching stems carry simple-looking flowers followed by orange-red hips. It is a familiar component of British woodland edges and grassland margins.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

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    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. KingdomViridiplantae
    4. PhylumStreptophyta
    5. ClassMagnoliopsida
    6. OrderRosales
    7. FamilyRosaceae
    8. GenusRosa
    9. SpeciesRosa canina
    Advanced classification

    Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Viridiplantae kingdom
    4. Streptophyta phylum
    5. Streptophytina subphylum
    6. Embryophyta clade
    7. Tracheophyta clade
    8. Euphyllophyta clade
    9. Spermatophyta clade
    10. Magnoliopsida class
    11. Mesangiospermae clade
    12. eudicotyledons clade
    13. Gunneridae clade
    14. Pentapetalae clade
    15. rosids clade
    16. fabids clade
    17. Rosales order
    18. Rosaceae family
    19. Rosoideae subfamily
    20. Rosoideae incertae sedis no rank
    21. Rosa genus
    22. Rosa canina species
    Open in taxonomy explorer ↗

    Structure and identification

    Long, arching stems can lean through neighboring vegetation. Flowers have an open form, and the later hips are oval rather than resembling a fleshy orchard rose bloom.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Habitat and range

    Woodland margins, hedges and grassland provide neighboring plants through which the stems can scramble.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Nutrition and metabolism

    Green foliage fixes carbon through photosynthesis. The woody plant obtains water and minerals through its roots.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Reproduction and life cycle

    Flowers are followed by seed-bearing hips that can remain conspicuous after the flowering season. The visible hip surrounds the small fruits within.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Geographic distribution

    Native in Britain and present across a wider Eurasian range. Garden planting and natural occurrence should be distinguished when interpreting a local record.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Ecological role

    Seasonal flowers and persistent hips make the plant part of a changing hedgerow habitat. Similar rose species can require closer botanical examination for identification.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Distinctive adaptations

    A scrambling growth habit lets stems reach light without forming a massive, self-supporting trunk.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

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