How to grow Culinary Rose
Updated October 2026
Any rose grown without sprays can give fragrant petals for teas, syrups, jams and desserts, and some, like the rugosa rose, also give large, vitamin rich hips. The key is choosing a tough, disease resistant rose suited to your climate, so you never need to spray it. Rugosa roses are ideal in the cold North, while old garden roses suit hot, humid Florida and the Gulf Coast.
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Where to plant
Roses need at least six hours of direct sun, good air movement and rich, well drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Sun and airflow are the best defense against black spot and mildew.
Match the rose to the climate. Rugosa rose is very hardy, to about zone 2, and tolerates poor, sandy and salty soil, so it suits the Northeast, Midwest, Northern Plains, Mountain West, Pacific Northwest and Alaska; it is listed to about zone 7 and struggles in hot, humid summers. In Florida and the Gulf South, UF/IFAS recommends Florida-Friendly roses such as the old garden roses Louis Philippe, Mutabilis and Mrs. B.R. Cant, and grafted roses on Fortuniana rootstock.
- Rugosa rose spreads by suckers and has become invasive in coastal New England and Virginia. NC State suggests choosing better behaved cultivars and keeping it away from dunes and natural areas.
Choosing a variety
For petals, choose a strongly fragrant rose; fragrance carries the flavor. For hips, rugosa cultivars such as Frau Dagmar Hastrup and Hansa give large red hips about an inch across. In the South, old garden roses and other low maintenance roses tolerate pests and disease without spraying, which matters when you plan to eat the petals.
How to plant
- Enrich the whole bed with plenty of organic matter before planting.
- In Florida and the Gulf South, plant bare root roses in December or January; container roses can go in at any time. In colder regions, plant in spring.
- Do not plant too deep; set the plant at the level it grew in the pot or nursery.
- Water often until established, and space plants so air moves freely between them.
Watering and feeding
Water regularly at the roots rather than over the leaves, and mulch to keep the soil moist. Florida-Friendly and rugosa roses need little watering once established.
Roses bloom best with regular feeding. In Florida, UF/IFAS suggests a rose fertilizer with micronutrients monthly from mid February through November in North and Central Florida and year round in South Florida, with smaller amounts in summer. Rugosa roses need little fertilizer.
Pruning and care through the year
- Prune once a year while dormant, in January or February in Florida: remove dead, dying and crossing canes and shorten mature canes by a third to a half. South Florida roses may need pruning twice a year.
- Rugosa roses need only the oldest canes thinned out every few years, and suckers removed if they stray.
- Clear away fallen diseased leaves to reduce black spot.
- Never spray roses you plan to eat with pesticides or fungicides not labeled for food crops.
Harvesting
Pick petals in the morning from freshly opened flowers, after the dew has dried. Snip off the pale, bitter base of each petal. Use them fresh in salads and desserts, or dry them in a single layer out of the sun for tea, or infuse them into syrups and jams.
Pick rose hips in late summer and fall when they are fully red or orange and slightly soft. Split them and remove the hairy seeds before using the flesh in jelly, syrup or tea.
Companion planting
Low herbs under roses attract beneficial insects and keep the soil shaded.
Good companions
Pests and diseases
Disease resistant varieties, sun and airflow prevent most problems. Avoid sprays on edible roses.
Pests to watch for
- Aphids Clusters on buds and new shoots in spring; hose them off.
- Thrips Browned, streaked petals and buds that fail to open, common in Florida.
Diseases to watch for
- Black spot Round black spots with fringed edges on leaves, which yellow and drop, worst in warm, wet weather.
- Powdery mildew White powdery coating on new leaves and buds.
- Rust Orange pustules under the leaves.
Common questions
Are all roses edible?
Rose petals are generally edible, but only eat petals from roses that have never been sprayed with pesticides or fungicides. The most fragrant roses have the best flavor.
Which rose has the best hips?
Rugosa roses produce large, fleshy red hips about an inch across, ripening in late summer and fall. Remove the hairy seeds before eating.
Can I grow rugosa roses in Florida?
They are rated to about zone 7 and struggle in hot, humid summers. In Florida, UF/IFAS recommends old garden roses such as Louis Philippe and Mutabilis, or grafted roses on Fortuniana rootstock.
Is rugosa rose invasive?
It can be. NC State notes it has become invasive along the coast in New England, Virginia and parts of Canada. Choose better behaved cultivars and keep it away from dunes and natural areas.
How do I prevent black spot without spraying?
Choose resistant roses, plant them in full sun with good air movement, water at the roots in the morning and clear away fallen leaves.
When should I prune roses?
Once a year while dormant, in January or February in Florida and late winter elsewhere, removing dead and crossing canes and shortening mature canes by a third to a half.
Sources we checked: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Roses; NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Rosa rugosa.
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