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(Rosa acicubris) The Prickly Rose is a very spiky shrub and is the only Native rose in Alaska. Generally it grows from 1 1/2 to 6 feet tall. The leaves usually have stipules where they join the branch and have five rounded leaves with notches on them. They have five rounded petals that remind me of a lace hat. The fruit is called a hip. The rose hip if eaten can cause irritation in your intestines. Some natives called the Prickly Rose, the Itchy Bottom Plant, because of the irritation caused by the prongs. Don’t swallow the seeds! This bush blooms in June to early July, in open woods, wide clearings, and meadows throughout most of Alaska, but not in north slopes or southeastern areas. Sometimes the petals and the hips are used to make honey and jellies! This very distinctive plant is spiky so be extremely careful where you walk. Created by Melissa Copyright 1999 Photos by Verna Pratt, used with permission.
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