Sweet Briar
Rosa rubiginosa
NEMBA category
English: Sweet Briar, Eglantine Rose, Eglantine
Afrikaans: Soetbrier, Wilde Roos
Historical scientific names: Rosa eglanteria
Rosa rubiginosa, commonly known as Sweet Briar, is a thorny, deciduous shrub that can grow quite large and often forms dense, impenetrable thickets. Its most distinctive feature is its leaves, which, especially after rain or when crushed, release a strong, sweet, apple-like scent. It has numerous sharply hooked prickles (thorns) along its stems. In spring and early summer, it produces delicate, five-petalled, pink flowers, which later develop into bright orange-red, oval or pear-shaped fruits called 'hips'.
This plant is a significant invasive species in South Africa, particularly in grasslands and disturbed areas, as its seeds are widely spread by birds and other animals, leading to the formation of dense, thorny infestations that out-compete indigenous vegetation and reduce grazing land.
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Origin:
Native to Europe and western Asia.
Distinguishing features:
Apple-scented leaves: The most characteristic feature; when crushed, the leaves release a strong, sweet scent reminiscent of green apples, especially noticeable on warm, humid days or after rain.
Hooked prickles/thorns: Stems are covered in numerous sharp, hooked, often reddish prickles of varying sizes.
Pink, five-petalled flowers: Delicate, single, light to deep pink flowers with five petals and a yellow centre, borne individually or in small clusters.
Bright red rose hips: Produces showy, oval to pear-shaped, glossy orange-red fruits (hips) that persist on the plant into winter.
Dense, impenetrable growth: Forms thick, thorny bushes that can become impenetrable over time due to its vigorous growth and suckering.
Overall appearance:
A dense, thorny, deciduous shrub that forms bushy, scrambling growth. It is most notable for its apple-scented leaves, bright pink flowers, and abundant red hips.
Height:
Typically grows 1.5 to 3 metres tall, but can sometimes climb up to 5 metres into supporting vegetation.
Width:
Can spread 1 to 3 metres wide, but its suckering habit and scrambling growth can lead to dense thickets covering much larger areas.
Leaves:
Deciduous, alternate, pinnately compound, with 5 to 9 (usually 7) oval to rounded leaflets. Each leaflet is 1 to 3 centimetres long, finely toothed, dark green and somewhat wrinkled on the upper surface, and paler, hairy, and resin-gland dotted on the underside. The leaves emit a characteristic apple-like fragrance when crushed, especially from the glands on the underside.
Flowers:
Single, or in small clusters of 2-3, borne at the ends of branches. They are typically light to deep pink, 2 to 4 centimetres in diameter, with five distinct petals and numerous yellow stamens in the centre. They have a delicate, sweet fragrance.
Flowering season (South Africa):
Late spring to early summer (typically September to December).
Fruits:
Known as rose hips. They are oval to pear-shaped, 1 to 2 centimetres long, glossy orange-red, and ripen in late summer to autumn. They are produced in abundance and often persist on the plant throughout winter, providing a splash of colour.
Seeds:
Small, hard, angular, yellowish-brown seeds, about 3-4 millimetres long, enclosed within the fleshy pulp of the rose hip. Each hip can contain multiple seeds.
Bark:
Stems are green or reddish when young, becoming woody and brownish-grey with age. The bark is typically covered in numerous prickles.
Thorns:
Stems are densely covered with distinctive, sharp, hooked prickles (often referred to as thorns), which are often reddish at the base and flattened. These prickles are of various sizes and aid the plant in scrambling and defence.
Wood:
Stems are woody and flexible when young, becoming stiffer and more rigid with age. Not typically used for timber.
Roots:
Develops a fibrous, spreading root system that includes suckers, enabling it to spread vegetatively and form dense patches.
Soil type:
Highly adaptable to a wide range of soil types, including poor, degraded, and rocky soils. It prefers well-drained, fertile loams but can tolerate moderately dry or damp conditions, and both acidic and alkaline soils.
Aspect:
Prefers full sun for optimal growth, flowering, and fruiting, but can tolerate light shade. It is very hardy and tolerant of frost and moderate drought once established. It often colonises disturbed areas.
Edibility:
The rose hips are edible and are a good source of Vitamin C. They are commonly used to make rosehip syrup, jam, or tea, but the internal hairs and seeds should be removed due to irritation. The flowers are also sometimes used in culinary preparations.
Toxicity:
Generally considered non-toxic. The main physical hazard is its sharp prickles. Internal hairs from the hips can cause irritation if ingested.
Uses:
Cultivated as an ornamental plant for its fragrant leaves, attractive flowers, and colourful rose hips. The hips are harvested for their high vitamin C content and used in food products and herbal remedies. It has also been used for hedging and to prevent soil erosion.
Ecology:
As an alien invasive plant in South Africa, Rosa rubiginosa is a major threat, particularly in grasslands, open woodlands, fynbos, and disturbed areas, especially in cooler, higher rainfall regions. Its highly palatable hips are eagerly consumed by birds (e.g., starlings, bulbuls, thrushes) and other animals (e.g., baboons), which then disperse the seeds widely through their droppings. It forms dense, impenetrable, thorny thickets that outcompete and displace indigenous grasses and shrubs, reducing biodiversity and making grazing land inaccessible for livestock and wildlife. These thickets can also alter fire regimes and hinder access for land management.
Distribution and habitat:
Widely cultivated and extensively naturalised and invasive across temperate and higher rainfall areas of South Africa. It is a significant problem in the Eastern Cape (very common around Kenton-on-Sea, especially in grasslands, forest margins, and disturbed areas), Western Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and parts of Limpopo. It invades grasslands, fynbos, open woodlands, forest margins, roadsides, and abandoned farmlands.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Rosa is the classical Latin name for roses.
The species epithet rubiginosa is Latin for "rusty" or "reddish-brown," referring to the reddish hairs or glands found on the underside of its leaves or stems, which can give it a slightly rusty appearance.
"Sweet Briar" and "Eglantine" refer to the characteristic sweet, apple-like fragrance of its leaves.
Historical aspects:
Sweet Briar was introduced to South Africa by early European settlers, likely from the 17th or 18th century onwards, as an ornamental garden plant, for hedging, and for its medicinal (rosehip) properties. Its hardiness, prolific fruit production, and efficient seed dispersal by birds quickly led to its escape from cultivation. It has since become a widespread and aggressive invader, particularly in agricultural and natural grazing lands, impacting biodiversity and land utility across the country.
Interesting facts:
This plant has a secret weapon – its leaves smell exactly like green apples when you rub them, especially on a warm day! It's like a built-in air freshener!
It's a prickly character! Its stems are covered in sharp, hooked thorns, making it a natural security fence that nothing wants to mess with.
Even though its hips look like tiny red apples, they're not just for show; they're packed with Vitamin C and can be made into yummy syrups and jams (just be careful of the tiny hairs inside!).
Birds absolutely love feasting on its bright red hips, turning the plant into a popular snack bar in winter – but that's also how it spreads its seeds far and wide, making it a bit of a bully in nature!
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