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Nearly Wild (Rosa 'Nearly Wild'), whole plant
  • Nearly Wild — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Nearly Wild — seasonal appearance
  • Nearly Wild in a garden setting

Nearly Wild

Rosa 'Nearly Wild'

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Nearly Wild

Nearly Wild is a classic American floribunda-type shrub rose introduced in 1941, producing single five-petal pink flowers with white centers and yellow stamens resembling wild species roses. Growing 2 to 3 feet tall and wide in a compact mounded form, it blooms heavily from late spring through fall and proves exceptionally hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9. A beloved low-maintenance rose for American cottage gardens and informal landscapes.

  • Low-maintenance
  • Cold-hardy
  • 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 Nearly Wild

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

  • NativeNorth America
  • Height2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m)
  • Spread2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m)
  • Flower colorPink
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • Fruit colorRed, Orange
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Rich
  • LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

May–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Single pink blooms with yellow stamens spring to frost, deadhead for repeat

Fragrance

LIGHT FRAGRANCE

The flowers have a light sweet scent.

Toxicity

Humans Slight

Unknown toxic principle

Slight

  • Stem
  • Contact

EXPOSURE Touching stems.

EFFECT Pricks from thorns.

NOTE Not toxic; thorns cause mechanical injury.

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

Nearly Wild · Native
  • Native
  • North America

History

Illustrated historical scene for Nearly Wild

Rosa 'Nearly Wild' is a single-flowered floribunda rose bred by American hybridizer Eugene Sanford Brownell at the Brownell nursery in Little Compton, Rhode Island, released in 1941 from a cross between the climber 'Dr. W. Van Fleet' and the polyantha 'Leuchtstern'. The Brownells bred subzero hardy roses for New England winters, and 'Nearly Wild' combined that hardiness with the informal charm of species roses: large clusters of wide five-petalled blooms, each a clear medium pink with creamy yellow bases and a tuft of golden stamens, cover the compact upright shrub continuously from spring to heavy frost. The cultivar tolerates partial shade, resists disease without spraying, and survives into USDA zone 4 without winter protection.

It remains a staple in cottage-garden plantings and heritage rose collections across the northeastern United States. Bred by Brownell in Rhode Island and introduced in 1941, Nearly Wild was among the first 'sub-zero' American shrub roses developed for New England winters.

It remains a widely planted low-maintenance rose in American cottage gardens for its effortless performance and wild-rose charm.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Nearly Wild Rose embodies simple beauty, its single pink blooms with golden centers resembling the native wild roses of meadow and roadside. It carries a wild heart inside a garden form, and pairs that with enduring hardiness — thriving even in cold New England winters where many shrub roses fail. A rose for those who prefer their romance in five honest petals.

  • Wild heart — resembles native wild roses
  • Enduring hardiness — thrives in New England cold

Where the Name Comes From

Cultivar name reflects resemblance to wild species roses with its single five-petal form.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Single pink blooms with open centers feed bumblebees and bees
  • Tough single-flowered rose with reliable continuous summer bloom
  • Bushy growth massed into informal flowering hedges

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Nearly Wild?

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

How much light does Nearly Wild need?

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

Is Nearly Wild 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 Nearly Wild easy to grow?

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

When does Nearly Wild bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

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