Lax rose
Rosa laxa
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
A shrub. It grows 2-2.4 m high and spreads 1.5-3 m wide. The stems arch over. They have bristles and a few large thorns which curve backwards. The leaves are compound. There can be up to 9 leaflets. These can be 5 cm long. There are teeth along the edge. There are sometimes hairs underneath. The flowers are pale pink and in clusters of 1-6. They are 5 cm wide. The fruit are red hips 12 mm long.
There are about 150 Rosa species and many cultivated varieties.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. In western China it grows near rivers between 500-1,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Central Asia, China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Siberia
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit, seeds