Rosa glauca, commonly known as Red-Leaved Rose, is a deciduous shrub native to mountainous regions, rocky slopes, and forest clearings of Southern and Central Europe. It typically grows to a height of 1.5–3 meters (4.9–9.8 feet) with a similar spread, featuring arching canes that are sparsely bristled and thorny with a distinctive cinnamon color. The leaves of Rosa glauca are one of its most striking features, displaying a unique glaucous blue-green to coppery or purplish hue, covered with a waxy bloom that contributes to its ornamental value. During its flowering season from late spring to early summer, the shrub produces clusters of two to five fragile, clear pink flowers, each 2.5–4 cm in diameter, which are moderately showy. The flowers give way to dark red globose hips, 10–15 mm in diameter, which are attractive to birds and can add interest to the winter garden.

The Red-Leaved Rose is valued for its foliage color, low maintenance, and resistance to many common rose diseases. It is often used in mixed borders, as a specimen plant, or for naturalistic plantings. This rose prefers full sun but can tolerate part shade, and it adapts well to a range of soil types, provided they offer good drainage. While it requires medium amounts of water, it is relatively drought-tolerant once established. Gardeners should be aware that the flower petals are delicate and may fall off due to mechanical disturbance or inclement weather. There are no major disease problems, but it can occasionally suffer from typical rose issues such as black spot and powdery mildew.CC BY-SA 4.0