Wild Prairie Rose

wild rose blossoms on a thorny branch
Wild Prairie Rose – Rosa arkansana
2019

To a person who has only smelled roses from a florist, they may wonder why they have such a fragrant reputation; roses from a florist smell like any other flower from a florist—vaguely floral. But if one stops to smell a wild rose, it’s a completely different experience; the scent is everything a rose should be. The flowers may be simpler than that of a florist, ephemeral, and prickly-stemmed, but that fragrance . . . There’s little that can compare.

Wild Roses are the state flowers of North Dakota and Iowa, as well as the provincial flower of Alberta (albeit varying species of wild rose).

Love wild roses? Purchase prints and cards here!