California Native Heritage Plant for July 2016
Rosa californica or California Rose
Found from Oregon to Baja California, this drought tolerant rose offers little pink flowers, lots of thorns and copious quantities of rose hips. In fact this rose produces so many rose hips that the government used it to supply soldiers with vitamin C in WW2.  The hips persist through drought periods on the plant and provide food to animals when little else is available.  The Cahuille Indians soaked the hips and roots in water to make a tea for treating colds.
This little guy spreads on runners and is perfect for difficult areas with poor access, or anywhere else its ability to run wild is a positive and not a negative.