Salt Spray Rose - Rosa rugosa

This rough, very thorny shrub grows in dense clumps often several feet in diameter around the border of the salt marsh. Also known as beach rose or rugosa rose, this species can be found blooming from June through October. Its large five-petaled flowers are typically bright pink-purple, but you can also find white morphs along the trail. In the fall, large bright scarlet rosehips develop, and can be used to make an excellent jelly. Salt spray rose was introduced from Japan during the 19th century, and thrives along the Atlantic seacoast. It has frequently been used as a plant to stabilize beaches and dunes, and is now labeled as invasive in some states.