Roses Are Pet Friendly
Although the thorns are not very pet friendly, rose plants including rose leaves and rose water are not toxic to dogs or cats. If your dog is attracted to roses and if your cat likes the smell of roses, then you and your pets can enjoy your rose garden together. And if you promised your dogs and cats a pet safe rose garden, you can keep your promise.
So you know, we check the flowers we feature on our site with the ASPCA and do extensive internet research for both the common and scientific name just to be super pet safe. If we cannot find direct reference, we check up to genus and so on until we can confirm whether a plant is toxic or non toxic to both cats and dogs. If we are not sure, or get contradictory information, we do not include it. Many of the plants featured we have grown successfully in our own pet safe garden in Northern California. You can see many of garden stars in photos from Lovie’s Pet Safe Garden.
Physical Attributes
Roses are woody, perennial shrubs that feature stems often with sharp prickles. The flowers have radially symmetrical arrangements of petals surrounding a central ring of reproductive organs. Rose flowers come in a wide variety of colors including red, pink, yellow, white, and multi-colored. Plant sizes range from miniatures under 1 foot tall to climbers over 20 feet high.[1][2][3]
General Care Tips
- Plant roses in a sunny location with 6+ hours of direct sun per day.
- Amend soil with compost or manure before planting to improve drainage and nutrients.
- Water deeply, about 2-3 inches per week during the growing season. Avoid wetting the foliage.
- Prune in late winter/early spring by removing dead, damaged or spindly canes.
- Apply a balanced rose fertilizer in early spring when new growth appears.
- Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
- Watch for common rose pests like aphids, thrips, and black spot fungus.[2][3][4]
Fun Facts
- The rose is the national flower of the United States.
- There are over 150 species of roses and thousands of hybrids/cultivars worldwide.
- Rose hips are the fruit of the rose plant and are very high in vitamin C.
- The world’s tallest rose bush is over 20 feet tall, located in Tucson, Arizona.
- Roses have been cultivated by humans for over 5,000 years, dating back to ancient China.[1][3][5]
- Red roses symbolize love, while white roses represent purity and yellow roses symbolize friendship.[5]
| Consideration | Details |
|---|---|
| Container Friendly | Yes, roses can be grown in containers.[2][3] |
| Indoor/Outdoor | Outdoor[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Sun/Shade | Full sun (6+ hours per day)[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Perennial/Annual | Perennial[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Flowering | Produce radially symmetrical flowers in many colors like red, pink, yellow, white.[1][3][5] |
| Drought Tolerant | No, roses require consistent moisture.[1][2][4] |
| Pollinator Magnet | Yes, roses attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators.[1] |
| Beginner Friendly | Can be challenging for beginners due to maintenance needs.[1][4][5] |
| Good Ground Cover | No, roses grow as upright shrubs.[1][2][3][4] |
| Good Privacy Screen | Climbing rose varieties can provide an informal screen.[1][4] |
| Invasive/Spreader | No, not considered invasive when properly maintained.[1][2][3][4][5] |
| Hearty/Delicate | Hearty once established, but can be delicate when young.[1][2][4][5] |
| Rodent Repellent | Thorns may deter some rodents. |
| Deer Resistant | No, deer often browse on rose foliage and flowers.[1] |
| Ideal States | Temperate regions with full sun exposure like California, Texas, and Florida.[1][2][4] |
Citations:
[1] https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-select-and-use-roses-garden
[2] https://www.epicgardening.com/container-roses/
[3] https://www.picturethisai.com/care/Rosa__The_Fairy_.html
[4] https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/growing-roses-selling-from-your-home-garden/
[5] https://www.jjwurst.com/blog/60-getting-your-roses-to-flower-all-summer/173-all-about-the-roses-getting-your-rose-to-bloom-all-summer
[6] https://www.picturethisai.com/care/Rosa__The_Fairy_.html
[7] https://lovflowers.co.uk/blogs/news/craspedia
[8] http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scene9108.html
[9] https://www.monrovia.com/be-inspired/lavender-plant-care-guide.html
[10] https://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/flowers-shrubs-trees/planting-bare-root-roses-march
