Moss Rose
Rosa × centifolia muscosa (Moss Roses) — various cultivars
📖 About this plant
The Moss Rose is one of the most charming and distinctive heritage roses, distinguished by the unique moss-like growth covering its flower buds, stems, and sepals. This fragrant, sticky ‘moss’ releases a resinous, pine-like or balsamic scent when touched — a scent so prized in Victorian times that Moss Roses were grown specifically for nosegays and boutonnieres. Beneath the mossy exterior, the flowers are deeply fragrant, cabbage-shaped, and come in shades of pink, red, white, and mauve.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (6+ hrs)
Every 2-3 days
Moderate (40-60%)
10-28°C
Rich, well-draining loamy soil (pH 6.0-6.5); amended with well-rotted manure and compost; mulch to retain moisture
Balanced rose fertilizer (10-10-10) every 4-6 weeks during growing season; top-dress with compost in early spring
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Discovered as a natural mutation (sport) of Rosa × centifolia in the mid-17th century, likely in the Netherlands or France — became enormously popular in Victorian England; the original 'Common Moss' dates to circa 1696
- 📏 Max height
- 90-150 cm (3-5 ft); upright, bushy habit with stiff canes
- 📐 Spread
- 60-90 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Pink, Red, White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic — a sport (mutation) of the Cabbage Rose (Rosa × centifolia) with mossy sepals. Petals and hips are edible. The mossy growth on buds and stems releases a pine/resin fragrance when rubbed. Thorns and mossy glands are a physical texture hazard. Generally safe for pets.
- 🌱 Propagation
- Softwood cuttings in early summer with rooting hormone; hardwood cuttings in autumn; budding onto rootstock commercially
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic — a sport (mutation) of the Cabbage Rose (Rosa × centifolia) with mossy sepals. Petals and hips are edible. The mossy growth on buds and stems releases a pine/resin fragrance when rubbed. Thorns and mossy glands are a physical texture hazard. Generally safe for pets.
Common issues
- Powdery mildew — moderately susceptible, Black spot in wet conditions, Aphids and thrips (can hide in the mossy growth), Susceptibility to fungal diseases on damp mossy buds, Root rot in poorly draining soil, Less disease-resistant than modern roses, Reduced flowering in shade
💡 Care tips
- Unique sticky moss-like covering on stems and flower buds releases fragrance,Intensifies the old-rose scent when touched or brushed against,Blooms once in late spring to early summer,Prune after flowering to maintain shape and remove dead canes
