CHARLES REYNOLDS: Rose family includes 5,000 distinct species

I advise gardeners who want to try growing roses to purchase cracker roses (Louis Philippe) because they're tough plants that do well here. But the...

November 19, 2022
1:58 AM

I advise gardeners who want to try growing roses to purchase cracker roses (Louis Philippe) because they're tough plants that do well here. But the rose family — Rosaceae — includes nearly 5,000 distinct species that are mostly deciduous and largely native to temperate and warm-temperate regions. And while those plants' climactic needs would make it challenging, an attractive Central Florida landscape could be built — except for appropriate groundcovers — solely from rose family species.For small-to-medium-size shrubs to serve as foundation plants and hedges, we have Indian hawthorn, with fragrant pink or white blossoms and purple fruit for birds.

Charles Reynolds