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‘Purple Pavement’ rugosa rose

Rosa rugosa ‘Purple Pavement’

ROE-sah roo-GO-sah

‘Purple Pavement’ has large, ruffled blossoms with a purple-red color and strong fragrance. In the fall, the blossoms give way to large, handsome hips, and the foliage turns from green to shades of yellow and maroon. This shapely shrub with dependable repeat bloom is especially good for a late display, when the hips appear alongside fall asters and other perennials with assertive autumn colors. —Suzanne Verrier, “No Muss, No Fuss Rugosa Roses,” Fine Gardening #121

Noteworthy CharacteristicsLarge flowers and hips; good fall color. Rugosa roses are listed as an invasive plant in some areas, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington.

CareProvide full sun, good air circulation, and fertile, well-drained soil. Top-dress with compost after planting and every subsequent spring and fall.

PropagationDig up suckers in fall and, with a sharp spade, cut the root that connects the sucker to the shrub as close to the mother plant as possible. Leave the sucker in place in the ground until early spring, by which time it will have developed its own root system. Transplant it to a more desirable location.

ProblemsJapanese beetles, rose stem girdler, deer

  • Genus : Rosa
  • Zones : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
  • Plant Height : 3 to 6 feet
  • Plant Width : 3 to 6 feet
  • Bloom Time : Early Summer, Late Spring, Late Summer, Spring, Summer
  • Growth Rate : Fast
  • Characteristics : Fragrant Flowers, Showy Fall Foliage, Showy Seed Heads
  • Light : Full Sun
  • Moisture : Medium Moisture
  • Maintenance : Moderate
  • Plant Type : Shrubs
  • Plant Seasonal Interest : Spring Interest

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