Flower profile

California wild rose

Rosa californica

California wild rose (Rosa californica) is a low shrub in the Rosaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.

Native to California

California wild rose is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In California it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.

2states where USDA records it

11,718CA sightings*

11,721U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: California

Quick look

Rosa californica, the California wildrose, or California rose, is a species of rose native to the U.S. states of California and Oregon and the northern part of Baja California, Mexico. The plant is native to chaparral and woodlands and the Sierra Nevada foothills, and can survive drought, though it grows most abundantly in moist soils near water sources.
From Wikipedia's article Rosa californica, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Rosaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to California. ^NatureServe
In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as red. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 10 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 11,718 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #76 among the 178 flowers on our California list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In California, most flowering sightings come in May–July.

Flowering records by month in California (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,806 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G4 Apparently secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
California: Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in California. ^{CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)}
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNon-toxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Rose” (Rosa Species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating lots of any plant can still upset a pet's stomach. ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records California wild rose in 2 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

California, Oregon.

California counties with USDA records: Alameda, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Plumas, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Ventura, Yolo.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives California wild rose a medium shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and high moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 7.0 to 8.0 and winter lows down to 7 °F.

Shade tolerance: Medium
Drought tolerance: Medium
Moisture use: High
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range: 7.0 to 8.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: 7 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 270
Annual precipitation range: 11 to 40 inches
Minimum root depth: 6 inches
Salinity tolerance: None
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Short
Active growth period: Spring, Summer, Fall
Fruit or seed: Red · Fall to Fall
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability: Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for ROCA2. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Rosa aldersonii.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 49 counties across 2 states; the most are in California (45), Oregon (4).

Other Rosa on Bloomipedia (10): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Rugosa rose, Baldhip rose, Woods' rose, Climbing prairie rose, Nootka rose, Prickly wild rose, Prairie rose, Three-leaved rose.

More from the Rosaceae family (103 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Toyon, Thimbleberry, Wineberry, Black raspberry, Trailing blackberry, Salmonberry.

More California flowers

Toyon

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: June–August

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌼 Blooms in CA: April–July

Trailing blackberry

Rubus ursinus

Native

🌼 Blooms in CA: March–May

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ROCA2.
iNaturalist, Rosa californica: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Rosa californica (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Rosa californica (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
Photo: avocat via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.