Official State Flowers of the United States

Rosa pratincola - Prairie Rose

Rosa pratincola – Prairie Rose

State Flower of Iowa – The wild rose was adopted as the state flower of Iowa in 1897. Although no particular species was designated by the Iowa Legislature, the wild prairie rose (Rosa Pratincola) is usually cited as the official flower.

Rosa pratincola or Rosa arkansana, the prairie rose or wild prairie rose, is a species of rose native to a large area of central North America, between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains from Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan south to New Mexico, Texas and Indiana.The name Rosa arkansana comes from the Arkansas River in Colorado. The species’ wide distribution and consequent genetic drift has led to an extensive synonymy.The name prairie rose is also sometimes applied to Rosa blanda, also known as the meadow rose or smooth rose, which is also widely spread, but somewhat further to the north.