Rosa Chinensis - Plant Benefits, Care, And Maintenance Tips

Rosa chinensis is the common name for a deciduous shrub belonging to the species of a flowering plant, Rose. The plant is found mainly in southwest China across Guizhou, Hubei and Sichuan provinces. Wide varieties of rosa chinensis are grown in gardens and are popular, because of their bright, red or pink-coloured flowers.

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Rosa Chinensis: Quick facts

Botanical name	Rosa chinensis
Common name	China rose (Chinese rose) or Bengal rose
Family	Rosaceae
Found in	Southwest China
Flower	Red or pink flowers
Flowering season	Summer (April to September)
Foliage	Pinnately divided, glossy and dark green leaves
Benefits	Used as an ornamental plant or a kitchen herb

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The shrub grows up to a height of 2 metre in hedges or forms thickets.
The plant has alternately arranged pinnate leaves with three or five leaflets.
The Rosa chinensis plant produces hermaphrodite flowers, usually appearing in groups of four or five. The flowers in the wild varieties of plants have five pink to red petals.
The plant is also used in cooking as a kitchen herb.
Rosa chinensis has been widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, while some varieties are grown to be known as the China roses.

Rosa chinensis benefits

Medicinal uses

China rose flowers and to some extent, the plant’s leaves and roots, are used for medicinal benefits. The flower buds help improve blood circulation and ease stomach pains and swellings in the body. The plants’ leaves, fruits and roots are used in treating conditions such as arthritis, boils and coughs. The seeds are a source of Vitamin E.

know about: Rosa rubiginosa

Cooking

The flower buds, flowers and shoot tips of the plants are eaten as potherbs or served in soups. The fruit is consumed raw or cooked. However, only a thin layer of flesh surrounds the seeds. Seed hair must be removed before consuming the fruit to avoid irritation in the mouth and digestive tract. The seeds are grinded and mixed with flour or used in other food items as a supplement.

Ornamental purposes

The plant produces semi-double or double flowers in red, pink, white or purple. Gardeners prefer this plant due to its attractive flowers and pleasant fragrance. Hence, the China rose plant is widely popular and used in landscaping as an ornamental garden plant.

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Rosa chinensis varieties

Chinensis: This variety is characterised by red petals and originated in cultivation.
Spontanea: This is one of the types of rosa chinensis with red petals. It is native to Guizhou, Hubei and Sichuan regions in China.
Semperflorens (Curtis) Koehne: This form of rosa chinensis, originated in cultivation, has dark red or purple petals.

Numerous varieties of rosa chinensis have been cultivated in China for many years. Thus, there may not be stark differences between the wild and cultivated varieties of the plant. Some varieties of garden roses were produced from rosa chinensis.

Rosa chinensis varieties are interbred with rosa gigantea, another species of rose, to produce rosa odorata. They produce tea roses and hybrid tea roses through further hybridisation.

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Rosa chinensis care

Sunlight

China rose plant grows in full sunlight and needs at least six hours per day during the growing season. The plant only grows leaves and does not bloom in partial shade. However, make sure to avoid overexposure to sunlight in summers.

Soil

The plant grows in different soil types. It requires well-drained, fertile and acidic soil for growth. It can also grow in heavy clay and moist soil. Choose a higher terrain to place the plant to prevent water accumulation.

Propagation

Rose seed may need two years to germinate, mainly because the plant may require a warmer period of weather after a cold spell to mature the embryo and reduce the seedcoat.

Water

Moist soil conditions are suitable for plant growth. However, avoid water-logged conditions to avoid rotting of its roots. Whether the plant is grown on the ground or in containers, watering must be done only when topsoil becomes slightly dry. There is no specific watering frequency for the plant.

Drought will reduce the number of flowers. So, make sure to water the plant every two or three days.

Pruning

The plant needs regular pruning. You can cut the faded flowers and thin, overlapping branches of the plant. Timely pruning after flowering and before winter helps the plant reduce unnecessary nutrient intake and grow with concentrated nutrition.

Keep the main branches at about two or three metre long for vines and cut off the rest. In case of bush plants, cut off around one centimetre above full buds, prune the plant up to one-thirds of the original height and leave four or six thicker branches to ensure the plant’s shape matches your preference.

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How to grow rosa chinensis?

When growing rosa chinensis in a pot, use humus-rich and moderately acidic sandy soil. Loosen the soil and apply organic fertiliser as base fertiliser, when planting. You can add a layer of organic mulch to cover the soil surface for heat, preservation of roots and preventing the growth of weeds.

Avoid winter months for transplanting China rose from one area to another. Make sure the area is well-lit and well-ventilated. Otherwise, it may attract pests and diseases.

FAQs

What is the common name of rosa chinensis?

The common name of rosa chinensis is China rose or Chinese rose.

Is rosa chinensis edible?

Rosa chinensis, or Chinese rose, has edible flowers. The plant’s flower petals, leaves, seeds and stem are edible. However, there are layers of hair around the seeds under the flesh of the fruit/flower, which may irritate your mouth and digestive tract when consumed.

Is rosa chinensis fragrant?

The rosa chinensis flowers have a mild fragrance.

Is rosa chinensis toxic?

China rose contains certain compounds found in some varieties of the hibiscus family, which may be mildly toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

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Harini Balasubramanian

Harini is a content management professional with over 12 years of experience. She has contributed articles for various domains, including real estate, finance, health and travel insurance and e-governance. She has in-depth experience in writing well-researched articles on property trends, infrastructure, taxation, real estate projects and related topics. A Bachelor of Science with Honours in Physics, Harini prefers reading motivational books and keeping abreast of the latest developments in the real estate sector.