Rosa acicularis

There are a lot of wild roses in northern Wisconsin. Unlike cultivated roses, most of them have just a single set of petals. This one blossoms very early June and has thorns along its stems. Wild roses are often tough little plants. I found this one hanging over the edge of an embankment above Lake Superior. Thorns do not deter deer, so they are often eaten back and need to regrow. In the fall they have beautiful orange fruits that are high in vitamin C and are often used for jellies.