Rose F J Grootendorst

A rugosa rose, so disease-resistant but very prickly, Rosa rugosa FJ Grootendorst is a deciduous, fast-growing, repeating shrub rose with a bushy, arching but upright habit, filling out to the ground. It’s been around since 1918 – so it must be good! The foliage is lush and deep green, turning red in autumn. Clusters of double, crimson, frilly-edged, unscented flowers with yellow eyes repeat through the summer and into autumn. Rose F J Grootendorst is tolerant of poor soils and partial shade, so can be grown in a woodland planting. It is also small enough to be grown in a large container, and makes a good, low, thorny hedge.

Site: Sheltered
Soil: Fertile well-drained soil, preferably moist and humus-rich
Position: Partial shade; tolerates full sun in reliably moist soils
Season of interest: Late spring in particular
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 4’ (1.2m) Spread: 4’ (1.2m)

Photos by David J. Stang, cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.