Nootka Rose

Nootka Rose is a beautiful native shrub with fragrant pink flowers and bright red hips that ripen in late summer and persist into winter. Thriving in a range of growing conditions, this hardy perennial is both ornamental and functional—perfect for hedgerows, pollinator gardens, and naturalised landscapes. The petals are edible and delicately aromatic, while the nutrient-rich hips can be dried for tea, made into syrup, or enjoyed by wildlife. Though slow to flower from seed, plants establish strong roots and begin blooming in their second or third year.

NB Nootka Rose is an aggressive plant in many conditions. It is best used in gardens with poor or rocky soil. For example for erosion control or a beautiful coastal-esque garden

Where Can You Grow Nootka Rose?
Best suited to Zones 3–9, Nootka Rose grows in full sun to part shade and tolerates dry to moist soils. Ideal for coastal areas, forest edges, and garden borders where its spreading root system can be put to good use. To prevent spreading, grow in a large buried container.

History and Historical Uses
Native to the West Coast of North America, Rosa nutkana has long been an important species in Indigenous plant knowledge. Used for food, medicine, and crafting, the hips were consumed for their vitamin content, the flowers used in teas and topical remedies, and the sturdy stems made into tools and arrow shafts. Today, this rose continues to play a role in habitat restoration and native plant gardening.

Canadian Zone Information
Zones 8–9: Direct sow in autumn or early spring; flowers appear by year two.
Zones 5–7: Sow outdoors in fall or stratify seeds for spring sowing.
Zones 3–4: Cold hardy with mulch; sow in spring after stratifying seeds indoors.

How to Grow and Harvest Nootka Rose

Planting: Sow seeds 6mm (¼in) deep in fall or after 8–12 weeks of moist cold stratification.
Watering: Keep young plants moist until established; drought tolerant once mature.
Harvesting: Pick hips when fully red and soft in late summer; petals may be harvested when fully open.
Maintenance: Allow space for suckering; prune back in early spring to shape.

Seed Saving Tips for Future Supply

Collect Ripe Hips: Harvest hips when soft and red; remove seeds.
Clean and Stratify: Rinse and cold stratify seeds in moist sand for 8–12 weeks.
Dry and Store: Keep stratified seeds in cool storage until sowing.
Store: Properly stored, seeds remain viable for up to 2 years.

Certified Organic By
Islands Organics Producers Association (Cert#1962)