Species
Blanc Double de Coubert
White · repeat-blooming · Zones 3-9
Species Rose
Scabrosa
Large mauve-pink single blooms and tomato-red hips.
A magenta pink member of the species & wild roses group, Scabrosa is grown for its long succession of blooms and its fragrance. Below you'll find a full profile of Scabrosa — its characteristics, how to grow it, where to use it in the garden, and answers to the questions gardeners ask most.
About Scabrosa
As one of the species & wild roses, Scabrosa carries the traits gardeners look for in the group — simple five-petaled single flowers, usually followed by ornamental hips. As one of the wild ancestors of the garden rose, it trades repeat bloom for toughness, wildlife value, and an easy, natural beauty.
In flower, Scabrosa is magenta pink and fills the plant with bloom in wave after wave, carrying a strong, carrying fragrance. It is hardy across USDA zones 3-9, so it suits a wide range of gardens with the right seasonal care.
Characteristics and form
Scabrosa makes arching, often large and informal plant, typically around a wide range, roughly 3 to 10 feet tall and wide. The blooms are simple five-petaled single flowers, usually followed by ornamental hips, small to medium in size, set against often distinctive — sometimes ferny or grey-green foliage. Knowing a rose's habit and mature size is the key to placing it well: give Scabrosa room to reach its full spread without crowding its neighbors, which also keeps air moving through the plant and disease at bay.
How to grow Scabrosa
Plant Scabrosa where it will get at least six hours of direct sun a day in fertile, well-drained soil with good air movement around it. In cold climates, set the graft union — the swollen knob where the variety joins the rootstock — at or just below the soil line; in mild climates, keep it at soil level. Once planted, water deeply and less often to encourage deep, drought-resistant roots.
- Light: Full sun, six hours or more; morning sun is best because it dries dew early and limits disease.
- Soil: Rich and well-drained, slightly acidic at about pH 6.0–6.5. Improve heavy or sandy soil with plenty of compost before planting.
- Water: Deep, infrequent soakings at the base rather than frequent light sprinkling; more in heat, sandy soil, or containers.
- Feeding: A balanced rose fertilizer in early spring, repeated after the first flush to fuel the next.
- Pruning: Prune it in late winter to an open, outward-facing framework, then deadhead through the season.
Bloom habit: Repeat (recurrent). Scabrosa blooms in repeated flushes from late spring until the first frost. Deadhead spent flowers to bring on the next wave.
Where to use Scabrosa in the garden
Scabrosa suits informal hedges, wildlife and naturalistic gardens, and wilder corners of the garden. Let it grow naturally in a hedge or wild planting where its hips and habit can be enjoyed. For more ideas, see our guide to companion plants for roses.
Common problems and care
Species roses are typically tough and disease-resistant, asking very little of the gardener. Watch for the usual rose troubles — black spot, powdery mildew, and aphids — and head them off with good air flow, base watering, and a tidy autumn clean-up. See our full guide to rose diseases and pests for identification and treatment.
Scabrosa — frequently asked questions
How big does Scabrosa get?
Scabrosa typically grows about a wide range, roughly 3 to 10 feet tall and wide, forming a arching, often large and informal plant. Its final size depends on your climate and how you prune it.
Is Scabrosa fragrant?
Yes — Scabrosa has a strong, carrying fragrance, and scent is one of the reasons to grow it.
Does Scabrosa bloom more than once a season?
Yes. Scabrosa is a repeat-blooming rose that blooms in repeated flushes from late spring until the first frost, especially if it is deadheaded and fed through the summer.
What hardiness zones does Scabrosa grow in?
Scabrosa is hardy in USDA zones 3-9. That range describes the winter cold it can survive; gardeners colder than zone 3 should give it winter protection or grow it in a movable container.
Is Scabrosa easy to grow?
Species roses are typically tough and disease-resistant, asking very little of the gardener. Give Scabrosa full sun, well-drained soil, and the ordinary seasonal care any rose appreciates, and it is a straightforward rose to grow.
How and when should I prune Scabrosa?
Prune Scabrosa in late winter to an open, outward-facing framework, then deadhead through the season — see our step-by-step guide to pruning roses for the full method.