(2008)  
 
Rosa acicularis In Crane, M. F. 1990. Rosa acicularis. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). 2008, July 6

Prickly rose plants are quite variable in morphological details including pubescence, glandularity, and fruit shape . Prickly rose is a deciduous shrub about 4 feet (1.2 m) in height with many fine roots in the top 8 inches (20 cm) of soil. Deep roots may extend to 55 inches (140 cm) . The main stems are usually covered with slender, straight bristles or prickles. The alternate leaves are pinnately compound with five to nine leaflets and conspicuous stipules. The pink or rose-colored flowers have numerous stamens and are borne singly on lateral branches. The globose, fleshy, red or orange-red hip has 10 to 30 achenes. Each achene is 0.15 to 0.2 inch (3.8-5 mm) long with stiff hairs along one side.

Information about subspecies (varieties) is summarized below:
Subspecies (variety) acicularis is octoploid (2n = 56). It has glandular pedicels and narrow sepals (less than 0.1 inch or 3 mm). Its leaves have five leaflets.
Subspecies sayi (variety bourgeauiana) is hexaploid (2n = 42). Its pedicels are glabrous and the sepals are wider than 0.1 inch (3 mm). There are five to nine leaflets in each leaf.

Prickly rose regenerates vegetatively by means of widespread rhizomes. A single clone with 8 to 11 above-ground stems linked by a horizontal rhizome can cover 11.95 to 23.92 square yards (10-20 sq m). Results of an Alaskan study found rhizomes between 8 and 12 inches (20-30 cm) deep. This was sufficient for the rhizomes to be in the mineral soil below deep organic horizons. Since rhizomes sprout after fire and other types of disturbance, prickly rose clones may live for hundreds of years.

(2008)  
 
Rosa acicularis In Crane, M. F. 1990. Rosa acicularis. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). 2008, July 6

Prickly rose plants are quite variable in morphological details including pubescence, glandularity, and fruit shape . Prickly rose is a deciduous shrub about 4 feet (1.2 m) in height with many fine roots in the top 8 inches (20 cm) of soil. Deep roots may extend to 55 inches (140 cm) . The main stems are usually covered with slender, straight bristles or prickles. The alternate leaves are pinnately compound with five to nine leaflets and conspicuous stipules. The pink or rose-colored flowers have numerous stamens and are borne singly on lateral branches. The globose, fleshy, red or orange-red hip has 10 to 30 achenes. Each achene is 0.15 to 0.2 inch (3.8-5 mm) long with stiff hairs along one side.

Information about subspecies (varieties) is summarized below:
Subspecies (variety) acicularis is octoploid (2n = 56). It has glandular pedicels and narrow sepals (less than 0.1 inch or 3 mm). Its leaves have five leaflets.
Subspecies sayi (variety bourgeauiana) is hexaploid (2n = 42). Its pedicels are glabrous and the sepals are wider than 0.1 inch (3 mm). There are five to nine leaflets in each leaf.