You are correct, the botanical term is prickles.

Sorry for the error.

Tim

"Joe" wrote in message
news:bkcfd.22307$%k.16875@pd7tw2no...

"Tim Tompkins" wrote in message
...
"Rugosa" is a very broad term!

Rosa Rugosa is a species rose term that includes a number of individual
varieties that have a range of growth habit and size.

As a general rule R. Rugosa is wider than it is tall. Depending on your
climate and soil conditions they will grow 3' to 4' tall and perhaps 5'
to
6' wide in a few years.

R. Rugosa is a VERY spiny rose, yes roses have spines rather than thorns
in
correct botanical terminology. They can be used for a hedge that is
almost
impossible to penetrate due to the spines. The down side to the spines
is
that winds can cause the canes to damage one another through abrasion.

Planting them close too one another will form a mass that is resistant
to
wind damage and achieve your goal of an impenetrable hedge. Two to
three
foot spacing will work best.

I assume that you have ordered a number of the same variety, if so you
can
presume that the general growth habit will be same for all of the
plants.

R. Rugosa does NOT like chemical sprays and needs MINIMAL feeding and
watering. For the most part neglect is the order for R. Rugosa.

Tim

"George V. Roberts Jr." wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has experience growing a Rosa
rugosa
hedge. I've ordered a quantity of bare-root species shrubs to be
delivered
next April. I'm going to plant them along a section of 30-year-old
stockade
fence that's on its last legs. Internet advice on rugosa spacing
varies.
I've read you should space the shrubs as little as 1 or 2 feet apart,
or
as
much as 2/3 the height of the mature shrub, which is reputed to be
about
6
feet, for a spacing of about 4 feet apart.

I'm new at this, but 1 or 2 feet sounds a bit close to me (and sounds
maybe
like nurseries trying to sell you more plants than you actually need).
Could
such tight spacing cause the shrubs to be stunted?

Would 4 feet apart be too far? My wish is to grow an impassable hedge
within
2 or 3 years, which is about how long I think the fence will make it
if
the
neighborhood urchins don't start pulling it apart.

Also, the shrubs I've ordered supposedly will be 12 to 24 inches tall.
Anyone have any ideas on realistic growth rates? The company
literature
says
that rugosas will grow 2 feet per year. How many seasons before I can
reasonably expect a functional hedge, rather than simply a row of rose
bushes?

Depending on what you recommend for spacing, I may have ordered twice
as
many shrubs as I need. If so, any advantages or disadvantages to
planting
a
double staggered row?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

George Roberts






Prickles. Not spines or thorns.