October 22, 2024, 3:03 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
It looks pretty, smells fragrant and is useful for insects – beach rose (Rosa rugosa). However, you should know that the plant is not entirely unproblematic. myHOMEBOOK editor Franka Kruse-Gering reveals why you should think twice before planting this pretty plant in your garden.
Beach rose, popularly known in Germany as the “Adolf Hitler rose,” prefers to grow near the coast and is characterized by its robust and hardy nature. It is also a delight to the eyes with its pink flowers and attracts bees and other insects. However, there are a few important points to bear in mind if you want to plant it in your garden. This is because beach rose is considered invasive.
What makes beach rose special?
The pretty-looking plant with its pink flowers grows rapidly and is very persistent. It makes few demands on the soil and temperatures, is frost-hardy, and can also grow in sandy soil. Throughout the summer, it delights us with its colorful flowers. It also spreads a pleasant fragrance and is an insect magnet. However, before planting, you should be aware that beach rose is considered invasive.
Why beach rose is considered a problem
The plant is not a native species. It originates from East Asia, so it is a neophyte. This is not a major problem per se, but as it grows rapidly, it threatens our ecosystem and displaces native plants. It is very resilient and also grows in less favorable conditions.
Recently, it has become an increasing problem in the North Sea region in particular, as it threatens the stability of the dykes, as Fabian Buß from the Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation Agency (NLWKN) explains at kreiszeitung.de. Originally, beach rose was planted specifically to protect the coasts, as it was hoped that it would have a stabilizing effect on the dunes. It is now recognized that the invasive beach rose is becoming more and more of a problem. It is growing uncontrollably and thus displacing native plants that would be better suited to coastal protection.
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Hence the plant’s nickname “Adolf Hitler Rose”
During the Second World War, the plant was often used mainly on the East Frisian Islands to plant German bunkers due to its fast and opaque growth. The bunker buildings were to be camouflaged in this way.