The ubiquitous presence of roses in gardens and floristry worldwide often obscures their wild origins. The genus Rosa encompasses hundreds of species and over thirty thousand cultivars developed throughout its long history of cultivation. To accurately pinpoint where roses are naturally found, it is necessary to look beyond hybridized garden varieties and examine the distribution of the original, wild species, sometimes referred to as species roses.
Defining the Holarctic Native Range
The genus Rosa is naturally distributed across the Holarctic region, a vast biogeographical area covering the majority of the Northern Hemisphere. Wild roses are indigenous to almost all temperate and subtropical zones above the equator, with exceptions only in certain desert areas and tropical rainforests. This widespread natural habitat includes a geographical belt encompassing North America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia. For instance, the Arctic rose (Rosa acicularis) is found in northern regions of Europe, North America, and Asia, demonstrating a truly circumpolar distribution. The presence of these wild species in such diverse locations indicates that the rose is not native to a single country, but rather an entire hemisphere.
Global Centers of Species Origin
While the native range is Holarctic, the greatest concentration of genetic diversity and species richness is far more localized. East Asia, particularly China, is considered the primary center of origin for the genus Rosa, hosting nearly half of all known wild rose species. This region’s unique geographical features and long evolutionary history have resulted in a vast array of indigenous roses, many possessing unique traits like disease resistance and novel flower colors. Wild species from China, such as Rosa banksiae, have been pivotal in the development of modern roses.
In contrast, other parts of the Holarctic region are secondary centers of origin, containing fewer indigenous species. Europe and the Middle East possess a comparatively smaller number of native species, such as Rosa gallica and Rosa canina. North America also has its own distinct native species, like those in the Carolinae section, but these are fewer in number compared to the astonishing diversity found in Asia.
How Cultivation Blurred Native Boundaries
The long history of human interaction with the rose has significantly obscured its original native boundaries. Cultivation began in ancient times in places like China, Persia, and the Mediterranean, leading to early domestication and selection. The most profound blurring occurred after the 18th and 19th centuries, when global trade routes introduced Asian species to Europe.
European breeders quickly crossbred their native species with the newly imported Chinese roses, which possessed desirable traits like recurrent blooming. This extensive inter-species hybridization resulted in the creation of modern rose cultivars, such as the Hybrid Teas. Many species that were introduced for breeding purposes, or even as ornamental plants, have since escaped cultivation and become “naturalized” in new regions, growing wild outside their true ancestral home. This escape complicates the task of a modern botanist trying to determine which roses are truly indigenous to a particular landscape.