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Dog rose (Rosa canina)

Dog rose is a naturalised, prickly shrub and a declared weed in South Australia. Dense growth can make access difficult and compete with other vegetation, so land managers should identify and control plants before they set hips.

Key facts

Type: Weed, shrub.

Native to: Europe.

Established in: NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, SA, WA.

Other names: Briar rose, Dog briar.

Best time to act: Search for plants when pink flowers are visible in early summer, usually October to November in South Australia, and control them before hips mature, with follow-up visits for regrowth and seedlings.

Identification

  • Look for a prickly shrub with branches that often arch.
  • Its leaves have 5 to 7 ovate or elliptic leaflets with serrated edges.
  • Pink flowers are borne in small clusters, usually in early summer.
  • The plant produces smooth, dark-red hips, with sepals that are scarcely persistent.
  • Look-alike: Other wild or cultivated roses can look similar; check the combination of arching prickly branches, 5 to 7 serrated leaflets and smooth dark-red hips.

Where it grows

In Australia it is recorded as naturalised across several South Australian regions, including the Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Lofty Ranges, Murray, Kangaroo Island and Southern-Eastern regions, and in Tasmania; it can grow in disturbed sites and along roadsides, hedges and woodland edges.

Why it matters

  • Prickly growth can form dense thickets that impede access and make work around infestations difficult.
  • Thickets can compete with native plants and other desirable vegetation.
  • The shrub can create barriers to livestock movement and reduce the usability of affected land.

How it spreads

  • Birds and other animals can eat the hips and disperse seeds in their droppings.
  • Seeds can also be spread when fruit-bearing branches or plant material are moved or dumped.

Control options

  • For small plants, wear thorn-resistant protective clothing and remove the plant, including the crown and as much of the root system as practical.
  • For established shrubs, use an herbicide registered for the species and the intended site, strictly following the product label, or use another locally approved method.
  • Collect and dispose of hips and cut material so they cannot produce or spread seed; do not dump garden or clearing waste.
  • Revisit treated areas and control regrowth and new seedlings; in South Australia, check current requirements and contact PIRSA or the relevant local authority about reporting.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean soil and plant material from boots, tools, vehicles and machinery before leaving an infested area, and dispose of the debris where it cannot spread.
  • Avoid carrying fruit-bearing cuttings or contaminated soil to clean sites.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared plant. Depending on the declaration, it can be an offence to move it on public roads or sell it, and landowners may be required to control it on their land.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Not declared. Not on the NT A to Z weed list, and Weeds Australia does not list it as declared in the NT. Check the NT declared weeds list before moving or planting it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources