Pest plant - Dog rose and sweet briar rose

Dog rose (Rosa canina) and sweet briar rose (Rosa rubiginosa) are spiny perennial shrubs that form dense impenetrable thickets. Both are highly unpalatable to stock and out-compete native vegetation.

Description

Dog rose

• multi-stemmed perennial shrub, 2-5m tall at maturity
• stems are green to reddish-brown with backward-facing spines along the length
• leaves are arranged alternately along a central leaf stem, each leaf has 5-7 leaflets, 20-40mm long, broadly elliptical and sharply toothed
• flowers are 25-50mm with 5 sepals and 5 petals, they range from pink to white
• the seeds are contained in smooth reddish-orange hips
• seeds are numerous, yellow, 4.5-6mm long.

Sweet briar rose         

• similar to dog rose though slightly smaller, maximum height of 3m
• stems have backward-facing spines, varied in length and closer together
• leaves consist of 2-4 pairs of oval leaflets 10-40mm with short stalks and small prickles along the stalk
• hairs on the underside and sides of the leaves secrete an apple-like fragrance
• stems and underside of the leaves have many tiny dots
• flowers vary from white to pink, 25-40mm.

Why is it a problem?

Both species:

• are highly unpalatable to stock, out-compete native vegetation and provide ideal harbour for foxes and rabbits
• reduce the presence and productivity of desirable pasture species
• invade native bushland resulting in a reduction of biodiversity
• are a biosecurity risk as they host fruit fly.

Distribution

• Sweet briar - Central and Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges Region
• Dog rose - Northern Yorke and Burra region.

Ecology

Both species

• inhibit the germination and growth of other species
• affect non arable grazing and rangeland areas.

Sweet briar

• adapted to humid and sub-humid cool to temperate regions
• most common in areas receiving more than 600 mm annual rainfall
• infestations may also occur in lower rainfall areas in moist gullies and protected sites
• most dense in hilly and rocky country around trees on creek banks and along fence lines
• can grow on most soil types but does best on well-drained sites of moderate to high fertility.

Dog rose

• adapted to humid and sub-humid cool to temperate regions
• most common in areas receiving more than 550 mm annual rainfall
• more tolerant of drought than sweet briar
• extends into the agricultural zone on roadsides, in moist gullies and protected sites around trees, on creek banks and along fence lines.

How it spreads

Related links

• Pest plants (web page)