North America Non-native Plant

Rosa Sinowilsonii

Botanical name: Rosa sinowilsonii

USDA symbol: ROSI6

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

Rosa sinowilsonii: The Mysterious Rose That’s Hard to Pin Down If you’ve stumbled across the name Rosa sinowilsonii in your plant research adventures, you’re not alone in scratching your head. This particular rose species is something of an enigma in the gardening world – and that’s putting it mildly! What ...

Rosa sinowilsonii: The Mysterious Rose That’s Hard to Pin Down

If you’ve stumbled across the name Rosa sinowilsonii in your plant research adventures, you’re not alone in scratching your head. This particular rose species is something of an enigma in the gardening world – and that’s putting it mildly!

What We Know (And Don’t Know)

Here’s the honest truth: Rosa sinowilsonii is one of those plant names that keeps botanists and gardeners guessing. While the name suggests it belongs to the rose family (Rosa), reliable information about this specific species is remarkably scarce. This could mean several things:

  • It might be an extremely rare species with limited distribution
  • The name could be outdated or synonymous with another rose variety
  • It may exist primarily in specialized botanical collections rather than general cultivation

The Challenge of Obscure Plant Names

When you encounter a plant name like Rosa sinowilsonii with little available information, it’s often a sign to proceed with extra caution and research. Without knowing its native range, growth habits, or potential invasive tendencies, it’s difficult to make informed gardening decisions.

What This Means for Your Garden

If you’re considering Rosa sinowilsonii for your landscape, here’s our recommendation: hold your horses! The lack of readily available information about this species makes it challenging to:

  • Determine appropriate growing conditions
  • Assess its compatibility with your local ecosystem
  • Understand its mature size and growth habits
  • Evaluate its benefits to pollinators and wildlife

Better Rose Alternatives

Instead of chasing after this mysterious rose, consider exploring well-documented native rose species in your area. These alternatives offer several advantages:

  • Proven track records in home gardens
  • Known wildlife and pollinator benefits
  • Established care requirements and growing tips
  • Support for local ecosystems

Contact your local native plant society or cooperative extension office to discover which native roses thrive in your specific region.

The Bottom Line

While Rosa sinowilsonii might sound intriguing, the lack of available information makes it a risky choice for most gardeners. Sometimes the most exciting plant discoveries are the well-known native species right in our own backyards. Focus your energy on roses with proven garden performance and clear ecological benefits – your garden (and local wildlife) will thank you for it!

Remember, successful gardening is often about choosing the right plant for the right place, and that’s hard to do when the plant in question remains such a mystery.

Rosa Sinowilsonii

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Rosidae

Order

Rosales

Family

Rosaceae Juss. - Rose family

Genus

Rosa L. - rose

Species

Rosa sinowilsonii Hemsl.

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA