NATIVE RANGE: East Asia

FIRST FINDING IN SLOVENIA: around the year 2000

PATHWAYS: horticulture

POSSIBLE TO FIND: yearround

FLOWERING SEASON: June – July

DESCRIPTION: A medium-sized shrub with arching stems which may climbing on other woody plants. Branches are covered with curved, often paired spines. Leaves are pinnately compound with 5-11 lanceolate leaflets which are dark green above and greyish-green below and characteristic, comb-like stipules at the base of the petiole. Its small (2-3 cm across), white to light pink flowers are borne in clusters of 10 to 30. Fruits are about 5 mm wide, round hips. They are initially green, turning dark to purple red and persist until the following spring.

HABITAT: Forest edges and open forests, hedges and riverbanks.

STATUS: Unclear because garden roses are frequently reported under the name “multiflora rose”. These may or may not be hybrids with R. multiflora.

SIMILAR SPECIES: There are many native rose species in Europe, but none of them has comb-like stipules at the bases of leaves. Evergreen rose (Rosa sempervirens) has white flowers in smaller clusters, while the individual flowers are much larger (2–5 cm across).

SOURCE: Field Guide to Invasive Alien Species in European Forests