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Burnet Rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia): Growth Habit, Synonyms, and Sources

Diarmuid asks if Burnet rose is a bush or groundcover, and if it has other names.

Plant Profile

Rosa pimpinellifolia (syn. R. spinosissima), the Scotch rose or Burnet rose, is a dense, suckering shrub 3–6 ft tall and wide—not a groundcover. Small, ferny leaves; creamy-white to pale pink single flowers in spring; abundant purple-black hips. Extremely cold-hardy (Zone 3), drought-tolerant, thrives in poor/sandy soil.

Names and Varieties

Scotch rose, Burnet rose, Scotch briar
Cultivars: 'Stanwell Perpetual' (repeat-blooming, pink), 'Frühlingsgold' (yellow), 'Frühlingsmorgen' (pink)

Where to Buy

Specialist nurseries: Roses of Yesterday and Today, Antique Rose Emporium, Chamblee's Roses. Jackson & Perkins retail site may carry cultivars. Search by botanical name for accuracy.

Roses: Rose Cane Galls: Bacterial Tumors on Stems; Why Your Roses Aren't Blooming: Troubleshooting Tips for High-Altitude Gardens; Rose Shoots from Old Transplant Sites—Suckers or Original?; Effective Organic Control of Rose Slugs (Sawfly Larvae) on Rose Bushes; Why Do Rose Buds Bend and Break? Identifying Rose Midge Damage; Rose Blooms Last Only Days – Water or Thrips?; Rugosa Rose Hips: Harvest for Tea, Soup, or Winter Beauty; Protecting Roses from Squirrels, Rabbits & Deer: Dog-Safe Deterrents; Managing Rose Cane Borers: Identification and Control; Will Snapdragons Return in South Texas?

Garden Articles

Troubleshooting Knock Out Roses: Yellowing Leaves and Stem Dieback

Rising Rose Bushes: Causes and Solutions for Exposed Grafts

Why Florist Roses Can't Be Identified: The Global Cut Flower Trade

Knockout Rose Yellow Leaves in Fall & Pruning for Size Control in Tennessee

Roses Blooming Wrong Color with Aggressive Canes: Rootstock Takeover

Ficus Bonsai Lost All Leaves: Is It Dead?

Green Peach Aphid on Roses: Identification by Cornicles

Plants

Rose Slug (Sawfly Larvae) Damage on New Shrub Rose

Sticky, Curling Leaves on One Side of Tree Rose—Aphids

Organic Rose Care for Large Collections: A Seasonal Guide

Getting More Blooms from Potted Roses in Karachi's Heat

Identifying a Lost Memorial Rose: Steps to Find the Name

Controlling Rose Beetles: Hand-Picking and Sevin Dust

Identifying and Controlling Rose Bud Pests in the Pacific Northwest