Desert Rose

Desert Rose is a rare native rose of arid mountains in the American Southwest, growing in sparse, rocky habitats at middle elevations where summer monsoon moisture provides enough water for its survival. It is the only native rose adapted to true desert and semi-arid shrubland, with stiff, stellate (star-shaped) prickles and small, tightly clustered leaflets that minimize water loss. Its bright magenta-pink flowers are strikingly beautiful against the dry rocky landscape. The species is found in the Sacramento Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains, and Chiricahua Mountains, among other isolated sky island ranges.