Order Now · Ships Spring 2026
Rosa gallica var. officinalis (apothecary rose)
Rosa gallica var. officinalis (apothecary rose)
Historic pink rose • Intense fragrance • Herbal uses
📦 Shipping is charged at real carrier rates.We don’t mark up shipping—costs reflect distance from our nursery and careful plant packing.
🌱 6-plant minimum per order — mix & match any varieties
📦 Ships in a 2⅜” square x 3¾” deep band pot — well-rooted & ready to plant
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🌿 Rare Find: Featured in our curated Rare & Uncommon Garden Plants Collection. Limited availability.
Apothecary Rose is one of the oldest cultivated roses in the world, grown for centuries for medicine, fragrance, and dried floral use. When in bloom, it fills the garden with a deep, rich rose scent that feels unmistakably traditional and enduring.
Large, semi-double flowers open in rich pink tones in late spring to early summer. Both petals and buds dry beautifully, which is why this rose has long been used for potpourri, sachets, herbal preparations, and traditional apothecary work.
Plants form a tough, reliable shrub that spreads slowly by underground shoots, making it well suited to naturalized gardens, low hedges, and medicinal plantings. Compared to many modern roses, Apothecary Rose is hardy, resilient, and easy to manage with simple seasonal pruning.
Note: This variety is shipped in a taller pot (same square width) to support strong root development.
WHY GARDENERS LOVE IT
- Deeply fragrant pink blooms
- Historic medicinal and perfume rose
- Excellent for drying and potpourri
- Hardy and dependable
- Spreads gently for natural hedges
- Supports pollinators
HOW IT GROWS
- Plant type: Evergreen to deciduous shrub (climate dependent)
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil: Average, well-drained soil
- Water: Moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Hardiness: USDA Zones 4–9
- Growth habit: Shrubby, slowly spreading by shoots
SIZE & BLOOM
- Height × Width: ~3 ft. × 3 ft.
- Flower color: Rich pink
- Bloom form: Semi-double
- Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
- Fragrance: Strong, classic rose scent
TRADITIONAL & MODERN USES
- Drying petals and buds
- Potpourri and sachets
- Herbal preparations
- Perfumery and fragrance blends
- Medicinal and heritage gardens
PLANTING TIPS
- Plant in full sun for best flowering
- Allow room for gentle spreading
- Water regularly the first season
- Mulch lightly to retain moisture
CARE MADE EASY
- Prune after flowering
- Remove weak or aging stems
- Thin if spread becomes excessive
- Use gloves—thorns are present
BEST USES
- Medicinal and herb gardens
- Fragrance gardens
- Low hedges and borders
- Naturalized plantings
- Pollinator gardens
HOW TO KNOW IT’S RIGHT FOR YOU
Choose Apothecary Rose if you:
- Love strongly scented roses
- Enjoy traditional herbal uses
- Want a low-maintenance, hardy rose
- Appreciate historic garden plants
SHIPPING NOTE
Shipped in a taller pot (same square width) to support strong root systems and healthy establishment.
POT SIZE: 2⅜” square x 3¾” deep band pot
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What to Expect With Your Plants
What size plants will I receive?
Most plants ship in 2 3/8” x 3 3/4” band pots—ideal for healthy root growth.
Top growth varies by variety and season, but every plant arrives well-rooted, actively growing, and ready to plant.
Grown naturally without artificial heat or lights, our plants are hardy, adaptable, and ready to thrive in real garden conditions.
When will my plants ship?
We schedule plant orders based on your area’s average last frost date and when each plant is truly ready to ship. You’ll receive an email with your estimated ship date once your order is scheduled.
Orders ship Monday–Wednesday via UPS or USPS (2–3 day service), so your plants arrive before the weekend and spend less time in transit. Shipping begins in spring—usually mid-April—when weather and plant health align, so your plants arrive strong, well-rooted, and ready to thrive.
Do you guarantee your plants?
We stand behind our plants and our packing process. While we can't control weather or how plants are cared for after arrival, we do guarantee that your plants will arrive healthy and in good condition. If there's an issue, just reach out and we're happy to help.
Are your plants inspected for plant health and disease?
Yes. Our nursery is inspected at least twice each year by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and meets state plant health and disease standards.
Why does shipping cost what it does for live plants?
Shipping live plants requires careful packaging, seasonal timing, and fast transit to ensure they arrive healthy.
Our shipping rates are calculated in real time based on box size, weight, and destination, and we always select the best available option for safe, timely delivery.
We never inflate shipping costs — you pay what it costs us to ship your order safely.
Have more questions?
We want you to feel good about your plant order. Find answers about shipping, sizing, care, and guarantees in our full FAQ.
I was extremely pleased with the size and health of not only the 2 Apothecary’s rose starts I ordered but the other 4 herb plants were also in great shape! All seem to be thriving!
All my plants I received were gorgeous, well packaged and looked super healthy and were just the perfect size. Sometimes you order plants online and they are the smallest puniest plants you’ve ever seen. But these were perfectly grown in and perfectly robust. I would definitely order again!
Very nice plants, hard to find. Wish they weren’t sold out, I would buy more!
Since we have had nothing but rain since my order arrived, I just planted the
rose in a clay pot yesterday to give it a little more growth before going into the
ground or she may stay in a bigger pot. To early to tell
however the rest of the order just got planted outside yesterday.
I have been buying plants since the lovely couple, Jim Becker and Dotti owned Goodwin Creek Oh such wonderful geraniums and the great geranium book as well
My order arrived in excellent condition. Very well packed. All plants were healthy and happy! Instructions were included for unpacking and transplanting. In the future when I need plants I cant find locally, I will return as a customer.