Downy-rose

 

There are two varieties of downy-rose that are commonly found in woods, hedgerows and scrubland in England and Wales. These are the harsh downy-rose (Rosa tormentosa) and the soft downy-rose (Rosa mollis). The terms harsh and soft refer to the texture of the leaves, and the fine downy growth on the leaflets gives the plant its name.

The downy-rose is an open shrub having long slender stems that bear numerous pink or white flowers. It grows to between 36 and 72 inches (90-180 cms) high. The flowers appear on long stalks in June and July.

The arching stems of the harsh downy-rose have leaves that are pale green when young. The thorns are slightly curved. The soft downy-rose is straight-branched with grey-green young leaves and has straight thorns.

Like many wild roses, the downy-rose is frequently attacked by a species of wasp called the gall-wasp. The gall-wasp punctures the plant and deposits its eggs, producing on the stem a tufted growth called a gall which is caused by the larvae feeding on the stem. On downy-roses such galls are bright red and, as a result, have been called “robin’s pin-cushions”.

© John Welford