Know your roses classes: Species

As of 2020, the American Rose Society recognizes 37 classifications of roses. This is the first in a series of posts to introduce you to each class.

Species roses are so incredible they aren’t just a classification they are a meta-classification. The American Rose Society groups each of the thirty-seven classifications into the following categories:

• Species
• Old garden roses (Classifications before 1867)
• Modern roses (Classifications after 1867)

The difference between species and the other groups is species roses have no known history of hybridization or breeding. That's why the species classification is sometimes synonymous with wild roses.

In general, these bushes share the following similarities:

• They are single petaled.
• They bloom once a year.
• When self-pollinated, they are the only roses that can be propagated by seed.
• They are fragrant and produce beautiful hips.

In Utah, most species roses are exceptionally vigorous. They are also low-care since they bloom only once a year, no dead heading needed.

Some species roses found in the wilds of Utah include:

Rosa Woodsii 
The most prolific native rose in Utah, its hips are unrivaled and foliage turns bright red during fall.

Harison's Yellow (Rosa x Harisonii)
Pictured at the top of this post, Harison's Yellow is an icon of the American West. It was used to mark pioneer trails and in certain areas it is referred to as the Yellow Rose of Texas. Legend has it, Harison's mutated from the Persian Yellow Rose.

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Other species roses frequently grown among the Wasatch Front are:

Austrian Bicolor (Rosa foetida 'Bicolor')
The unique coloring on this cultivar makes it a rosarian favorite. It grows very large in Utah, more like a rambler, and has very attractive foliage and hips.

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Lady Banksaie Lutea
This little lady has a cult following. It's so floriferous in spring its canes frequently bow under the weight of blossoms. It grows to nearly the size of a tree, twenty feet, in Utah.