Bonica

Rosa 'Bonica'

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Bonica

Bonica is a classic light-pink landscape shrub rose producing clusters of 2 to 3 inch fully double pink blooms continuously on a rounded 3 to 5 foot bush. Lightly fragrant with excellent disease resistance, it was the first shrub rose to win AARS in 1987 and was inducted into the World Rose Hall of Fame in 2003, a foundational American landscape rose.

Low-maintenance
Disease-resistant
Long-blooming

WATER

Regular

Top inch dry

LIGHT

Full sun

6+ hrs direct

HARDY

Hardy to -30°F (-34°C)

USDA hardiness zones 4–9

How to care for Bonica

Watering

Springevery 7 days
Summerevery 5 days
Fallevery 10 days
Winterevery 21 days

Soil · Rich & loamy

Top dressingBark mulch15%
Main mixRich loam + compost 3:170%
DrainageGravel15%

Use fully finished compost — fresh compost burns roots.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%

Nitrogen · Leaves
Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
Potassium · Strength

Springevery 45 days
Summerevery 45 days

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At a Glance

NativeEurope
Height3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m)
Spread3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m)
Flower colorPink
Foliage colorGreen
Fruit colorRed
SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Rich
LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

May–Sep

Self-cleaning, no deadheading required; prune late winter for shape

Fragrance

LIGHT FRAGRANCE

The flowers have a light scent.

Toxicity

Humans Slight

Unknown toxic principle

HumansDogsCats

Slight

Stem
Contact

EXPOSURE Touching stems.

EFFECT Pricks from thorns.

NOTE Not toxic; thorns cause mechanical injury; hips edible.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for dogs; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for cats; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Native

Europe

History

Rosa 'Bonica' (also sold as 'Bonica 82' and 'Demon Rose') is a soft pink shrub rose bred by French hybridizer Marie-Louise Meilland at the Meilland nursery near Antibes, released in 1981 from a cross involving Rosa sempervirens, 'Mlle Marthe Carron', and 'Picasso'. The arching shrubby plant carries abundant small fully double clear pink blooms in large clusters continuously from late spring to heavy frost, and bright orange-red hips ripen in autumn and persist into winter. 'Bonica' won the All-America Rose Selections award in 1987, the first shrub rose ever to take the top American honor, and the World Federation of Rose Societies Hall of Fame in 2003.

The cultivar thrives without spraying in zones 4 to 9, tolerates partial shade, and helped establish the modern landscape-shrub-rose category alongside later 'Knock Out' introductions. Won AARS in 1987 as the first shrub rose to do so, paving the way for the landscape rose revolution.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Bonica Rose makes visible gentle grace through its soft pink double blooms, which carry an unfussy landscape charm rather than grand-ballroom drama. It also stands for a pioneer moment — the first shrub rose ever to win the All-America Rose Selections award, opening the door for an entire generation of low-maintenance landscape roses. A garden classic that quietly changed what a useful rose could look like.

Gentle grace — soft pink landscape charm
Pioneer — first AARS-winning shrub rose

Where the Name Comes From

Named 'Bonica' as an Italian-style diminutive of 'bonne' (French for 'good'), meaning 'little beauty.'

Uses & Fun Facts

Disease-resistant pink clusters mass well in low rose hedges
Reliable pink shrub rose with continuous summer bloom
Open pink blooms attract bumblebees and native pollen bees

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Bonica?

In summer, water about every 5 days; in winter, about every 21 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Bonica need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Bonica toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Safe (Dogs Safe · Cats Safe) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Bonica easy to grow?

Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.

When does Bonica bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

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