Rosa glauca is a species rose native to mountain areas of central and southern Europe, grown primarily for its stunning glaucous purple foliage rather than its flowers. This vase-shaped suckering shrub reaches 36 to 48 inches tall and wide, thriving in hardiness zones 5 through 9. Tiny, slightly fragrant, soft pink five-petaled flowers appear from May through frost, followed by showy red fruit that extends the plant's ornamental appeal well into autumn. Many gardeners consider the foliage to be the standout feature: an intriguing blend of plum purple and gray-green that catches light beautifully.
Full Sun
Moderate
5-9
48in H x 48in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
Rosa glauca earns its place in gardens as much for its dramatic foliage as for its delicate flowers. The leaves shift between plum purple and gray-green depending on season and light conditions, creating visual interest long before blooms appear and lasting long after they fade. Beyond the five-petaled pink flowers that bloom repeatedly from late spring through frost, the showy red fruit provides ornamental value into winter months, drawing birds and butterflies to the garden. Its moderate size and suckering habit make it equally at home as a hedge or ground cover, while tolerating erosion and urban conditions that would challenge less hardy shrubs.
Rosa glauca serves primarily as an ornamental shrub in gardens, where it functions as both a standalone specimen and a structural element in hedges or ground cover plantings. Its moderate height and spreading habit make it well suited to informal hedgerows, mixed shrub borders, and erosion control on banks or slopes. The fragrant flowers are suitable for cutting, and the showy fruit attracts birds and butterflies, making it valuable for wildlife gardens and pollinator-focused landscapes.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Remove spent flowers to encourage rebloom throughout the growing season. Prune to maintain the vase-shaped form and manage the suckering habit if a more contained plant is desired. Remove and destroy diseased leaves as they appear to prevent spread of fungal infections.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Rosa glauca originates from mountain areas in central and southern Europe, where it evolved as a species rose adapted to challenging alpine and subalpine environments. Unlike hybrid roses developed through deliberate crossing programs, this species represents the genetic heritage of wild European roses, carrying traits honed by centuries of natural selection in rocky, exposed mountainous terrain. Its introduction to cultivation reflects the 19th and early 20th century European tradition of collecting wild species roses for their ornamental foliage and hardiness, particularly valued by gardeners seeking alternatives to the more demanding hybrid teas and floribundas.”