I enjoy the South Beach Trail in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the number of plants in flower both along the trail and on the rocky outcrops at South Beach itself. Five of these plants belong in Rosaceae (Rose family) and I decided to put them to the smell test and see if they indeed live up to the old saying “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
Plants in Rosacea have radially symmetric flowers with five petals arising from a cup atop the flower stalk. The presence of stipules at the base of the leaf stalks is another characteristic of plants in the Rose family.
Nootka Rose
First up was the Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana). I’m happy to report that the Nootka Rose, which was growing in profusion along the flat open part of the South Beach Trail has a beautiful fragrance. On a warm day, the scent of Nootka Rose fills the air.
Coastal Strawberry
At South Beach, two other members of the Rose family grow on the rocky outcrops along the upper edges of the beach. Coastal Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) has white flowers and toothed leaves that are leathery in texture. It seems to have no scent.
Villous Cinquefoil
Growing in close proximity is Villous Cinquefoil (Potentilla villosa). Villous Cinquefoil has yellow flowers and coarsely toothed leathery leaves that are white-hairy below. This plant has a beautiful fragrance.
Silverweed
A second Potentilla, Silverweed (Potentilla anserine ssp. pacifica) grows in wet seepage areas in the sand at the top of the beach. It too has yellow flowers and a long compound pinnate leaf that is white-hairy (silver) underneath. It didn’t seem to have much of a scent.
Large-leaved Avens
Finally, yellow flowered Large-leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum) grows along the trail edge. This plant has large deeply 3 lobed leaves (the basal leaves are long stalked with a large terminal lobe and several smaller lobes closer to the stem). It too didn’t seem to have much fragrance.
Of a total of five plants in Rosacea, only two had any sort of noticeable scent. Regardless, all five did produce beautiful flowers and I enjoyed taking the time to stop and smell these “roses.”
I think it is Nootka Rose bushes that I see when I visit Crescent Beach in South Surrey. It does have a heavenly scent and grows plentifully there. Nice to know the official name of the flower!
Beautiful. The Nootka rose seems such a surprise: a rose thrives without us. I am still learning about our other native, the dog rose (?). I’m wanting to put a large part of our new yard into native species, but not sure if either will thrive. Any thoughts on how they grow under firs? I’ve seen them on the verge of the Northeast Woods in Comox.
I saw a beauty of a flower on the far end of Goose Spit–yellow and growing in the sand above the high tide mark. Close to the ground, a ping pong-sized ball of flowers looking like a drumstick primula but short stem. Round, waxy leaves. Sadly, our plant books are packed and I won’t be able to identify it until mid July. Does anything come to mind?
Hi Jan,
Sounds like Yellow Sand-verbena – that’s the host plant of the Sand-verbena moth. Read more about the flowers at Goose Spit on Island Nature at https://islandnature.ca/2010/05/dunes-at-goose-spit/ When I wrote the Goose Spit article, the Sand-verbena wasn’t quite out yet. Good to hear that it’s in bloom.
Dave
And so it is! I just followed a bread crumb trail and found out more about the sand verbena moth recovery work. Pretty fascinating. We have a beach day planned at the end of the year, and this will be a great opportunity for students to understand the fragility of the ecosystem. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Dave.
Lovely! I would have enjoyed a glimpse or two of any of the stipules and of the “cups,” though. Just me, still learning botany.