When to plant and prune Rose (Rugosa)
Rose (Rugosa) flowers from early June to mid September and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Rose (Rugosa) is grown to the calendar rather than to the frost, so the same dates apply across the whole UK and every region below reads the same. Where a plant’s timings do follow the frost, Plot shifts them from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| South Coast and Channel | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| South East and Home Counties | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| East Anglia | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| Wales and West Coast | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| Northern England | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| Northern Ireland | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | late October to late December | early June to mid September | late February to late March |
Growing notes
The toughest and most disease-resistant group of roses, growing almost anywhere including exposed coastal sites. Repeat-flowers through summer and autumn with highly fragrant blooms followed by large hips. Suckers freely, which makes it excellent as an impenetrable hedge and a nuisance in a small border.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 100 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 150 cm
- Eventual spread
- 150 cm
- Hardiness
- H7
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- No
- Grows in a container
- No
- Balcony rating
- 1 out of 5
Pruning: what to avoid
Rugosas resent hard pruning and do not need it. Do not deadhead them either - the spent flowers become the large scarlet hips that are half the plant's value in autumn.
Pruning group
Minimal pruning: rugosas need little more than removal of dead, damaged or crossing wood in late winter, plus a light trim to shape where grown as a hedge
Bare-root season
Bare-root stock is lifted and sold while dormant, from late October to late March. Container-grown plants can go in at other times of year, but bare-root is cheaper and establishes well.
What usually goes wrong
- suckering into neighbouring planting
- chlorosis on very alkaline soil
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for rose (rugosa).