Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
The delicate-looking and captivating flowers of the White Rugosa Rosa contrast the hardy nature of this perennial. Pure white petals with a slight ruffle surround yellow stamens, giving off a sweet-smelling fragrance. The lovely blooms grow on thorny stems with dark green foliage. Flowers emerge in the spring, and this plant will continue to bloom throughout the growing season, although the first flush of flowers is the most prolific. The Rosa rugosa Alba is easy to maintain and can handle challenging conditions, like sand and salt, making it ideal for beachfront plantings.
This plant has a sprawling, multi-branched habit and reaches about 3 to 4 feet tall. Plant this beguiling beauty along a foundation wall or border to create a flowering hedge. Feature as a focal point in a bed or mass planting. Try to locate this shrub in a low-traffic area due to the thorns. The White Rugosa Rosa is a perennial in USDA zones 2 through 8.
White Rugosa Rose Care
Select a spot with partial shade to full sun as the White Rugosa Rosa needs at least 4 to 6 hours of light. Expect more blooms when the plant receives higher levels of light. Soil should have a 5.6 to 6.5 pH and high organic content while allowing for drainage, although this plant is forgiving when grown in poor quality soil. Water this shrub well through the first growing season, and after the plant is established, water weekly or when the top few inches of soil are dry. Feed this plant using a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in the spring, but it is not necessary to fertilize if grown in rich soil.
Prune the plant in the spring to encourage new growth. White Rugosa Rosa is a large plant, and you can let it do its thing with minimal pruning, only removing damaged or old growth or suckers. This shrub also responds well to more involved pruning to maintain a specific size.
White Rugosa Rose Spacing
This sizable upright plant will grow 3 to 4 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide. Create a hedge or dense planting by spacing shrubs 4 to 6 feet apart.
White Rugosa Rose Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 3 to 8 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Full Sun (6+ Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 3-4 Feet
- Mature Spread
- 5-7 Feet
- Growth Habit
- , Upright
- Water Needs
- Average
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , White
- Flower Description
- Pure White
- Bloom Time
- Late Spring to Summer
- Blooms On
-
Both New and Old Wood
?
"Blooms on" tells you which stems produce flowers, which decides when it's safe to prune.
- New Wood: Flowers form on stems that grow this season. Prune in late winter or early spring without losing blooms.
- Old Wood: Flower buds form on last year's stems. Prune right after flowering. Pruning in fall or early spring removes next year's blooms.
- Both New and Old Wood: Blooms on last year's stems and again on new growth, so it flowers even after a hard winter or a mistimed pruning. Prune lightly after the first flush of blooms.
- When to Prune
- Lightly, right after the first flush of flowers
- Foliage Color
- , Green
- Foliage Description
- Green
- Foliage Type
- , Deciduous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Summer Flowering
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- White Rugosa Rose
- Botanical Name
- ROSA RUGOSA 'ALBA'
- Plant Type
- Shrub
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!