Rosa rugosa Alba | White Japanese Rose Hedging
white Japanese rose (shrub)
Masses of fragrant, single, yellow-centred, white flowers from July to September, followed by large, red or orange-red rose hips. The vigorous, white species rose, Rosa rugosa 'Alba', makes a great, informal, flowering hedge for an open, sunny site. An excellent choice for the wildlife garden, the leathery, dark-green leaves turn butter gold in autumn.
All our roses are grown in an open field and then dug up when the weather conditions are right in October or November. Some suppliers send out their roses as 'bare root' plants (i.e. without pots or compost), but we pot ours up as it helps to keep the roots hydrated and in good condition. As they are dormant throughout the winter, they will not produce any new roots until spring, so don't be surprised if the compost falls away from the roots when you take them out of their pots.
The roses can be kept in their pots throughout the winter provided they are kept well fed and watered, however ideally they should be planted out as soon as possible. They will already have been cut back so no further pruning will be required, apart from snipping off any tips that have died back. Routine pruning can begin in late winter the year after planting.
To find out more about how to plant a hedge, click here.
All our roses are grown in an open field and then dug up when the weather conditions are right in October or November. Some suppliers send out their roses as 'bare root' plants (i.e. without pots or compost), but we pot ours up as it helps to keep the roots hydrated and in good condition. As they are dormant throughout the winter, they will not produce any new roots until spring, so don't be surprised if the compost falls away from the roots when you take them out of their pots.
The roses can be kept in their pots throughout the winter provided they are kept well fed and watered, however ideally they should be planted out as soon as possible. They will already have been cut back so no further pruning will be required, apart from snipping off any tips that have died back. Routine pruning can begin in late winter the year after planting.
To find out more about how to plant a hedge, click here.
How to care for Rosa rugosa Alba:
If planting in winter, choose a frost-free period when the soil is workable. Dig a deep hole roughly twice as wide as the root system and improve the soil with composted organic matter. A light application of a general-purpose fertiliser can be mixed into the surrounding soil, and Rosa rugosa can also be planted where roses have previously grown, as it is less affected by replant problems than many modern roses.
Plant so the roots are well spread and the plant sits at the same depth it was previously growing, then backfill, firm gently and water well. Water regularly until established, and apply a balanced or rose fertiliser each spring, followed by a mulch of composted farmyard manure or garden compost, kept clear of the stems.
Rosa rugosa flowers best on older wood and only needs light, formative pruning. From late autumn to early spring, remove any dead, damaged or congested stems completely, and if the centre becomes overcrowded, take out one or two of the oldest stems at the base. Hard pruning is rarely needed, but if plants become leggy or overgrown, one or two stems can be cut back to around 10-15cm (4-6in) above ground level to encourage fresh growth.
Plant so the roots are well spread and the plant sits at the same depth it was previously growing, then backfill, firm gently and water well. Water regularly until established, and apply a balanced or rose fertiliser each spring, followed by a mulch of composted farmyard manure or garden compost, kept clear of the stems.
Rosa rugosa flowers best on older wood and only needs light, formative pruning. From late autumn to early spring, remove any dead, damaged or congested stems completely, and if the centre becomes overcrowded, take out one or two of the oldest stems at the base. Hard pruning is rarely needed, but if plants become leggy or overgrown, one or two stems can be cut back to around 10-15cm (4-6in) above ground level to encourage fresh growth.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
1.5m
Eventual spread:
1.5m
Position:
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth:
Average
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Fully hardy
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This rose is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
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Humans/Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten
