Flowers have 5 pink petals, 5 green persistent sepals, many stamens, 20-40 pistils.  Shipley Nature Center, Huntington Central Park, Huntington Beach, CA. 6-18-10. © Joan Avise

California (Wild) Rose

Rosa californica

A 3 to10 ft. tall clone-forming shrub with arching, dense, prickly stems.  It is frequent to locally common in moist places in shaded canyons, riparian woodlands and chaparral of the San Joaquin Hills, Santa Ana Mountains and foothills (Roberts).  Flowering Apr-July.  Native Americans ate the buds, flowers, fruits and seeds and made medicine from roots, petals and leaves.  Young wood was used for arrow shafts.

Rosaceae

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Fruit matures to form 5/8 in. red berry-like hips which can stay on the plant for a year and are a good source of Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and iron. San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, CA. 8-05-07. © Joan Avise
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, CA. 7-04-09. © Joan Avise

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, CA. 4-11-09. © Joan Avise
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, CA. 4-11-09. © Joan Avise

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, CA. © Joan Avise
Leaves are alternate with 5 to 7 sawtoothed leaflets, downy above, hairy below.  There may be few or many prickles in recurved pairs.  San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, CA. © Joan Avise
Associated Insects