Damask Rose
Pyrus pyrifolia
Found in planted, persistent around old houses and in orchards, showing a tendency to spread from plantings. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you
—
Not native
Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 76%
- Height
- 20–40 feet
- Spread
- 16–40 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Dry to moist
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At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- April
- Fruiting season
- August to October
JFMAMJJASOND
Recorded in 17 Virginia counties.
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
104CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA
Genus host records with ranges including VA · Pyrus
- Abagrotis cupidaCupid Dart
- Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
- Acleris minutaLesser Apple Leaf Folder, Yellowheaded Fireworm
- Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
- Acrobasis vacciniiCranberry Fruitworm
- Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
- Acronicta fragilisFragile Dagger
- Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
- Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
- Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Show all 104
- Acronicta radcliffeiRadcliffe's Dagger
- Acronicta superansSplendid Dagger, Chieftain Dagger
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Ancylis nubeculanaApple Leaf Folder, Little Cloud Ancylis
- Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
- Archips griseaGray Archips
- Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth
- Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Balsa malanaMany-Dotted Balsa, Many-Dotted Appleworm
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
- Catocala crataegiHawthorne Underwing, Thorn Underwing
- Catocala gryneaWoody Underwing
- Catocala ultroniaUltronia Underwing
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
- Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
- Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
- Coleophora multipulvellaApple Pistol Casebearer, Pistol Casebearer Moth
- Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
- Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eulithis diversilineataLesser Grapevine Looper Moth
- Eumarozia malachitanaSculptured Moth
- Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Euxoa tessellataTessellate Dart, Striped Cutworm
- Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
- Grapholita prunivoraLesser Apple Worm
- Haploa colonaColona Moth
- Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
- Hedya chionosemaTwin-Spotted Budworm, White-Spotted Hedya
- Hedya nr.Large Bud Moth, Green Bud Moth, Off-White Hedya
- Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
- Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
- Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
- Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
- Limenitis archippusViceroy
- Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane groteiGrote's Pinion, Green Fruit Worm
- Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
- Lithophane unimodaDowdy Pinion
- Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
- Lyonetia prunifoliellaStriped Bent-wing
- Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
- Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
- Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
- Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
- Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
- Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
- Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
- Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
- Parornix geminatellaUnspotted Leaf Miner, Unspotted Tentiform Leafminer
- Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
- Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
- Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
- Phyllonorycter crataegellaApple Leaf Miner, Apple Blotch Leafminer, Apple Leafblotch Miner
- Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
- Platynota rostranaOmnivorous Platynota
- Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
- Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
- Pseudexentera maliPale Apple Budworm, Pale Apple Leafroller
- Psorosina hammondiApple Leaf Skeletonizar
- Rhopobota naevanaBlackheaded Fireworm, Holly Bud Moth, Holly Tortrix
- Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
- Sphinx drupiferarumWild Cherry Sphinx
- Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
- Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
- Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
- Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
- Bucculatrix pomifoliella
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
4BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Pyrus
- Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
- Catharus fuscescensVeery
- Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
- Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 5a–8b
- Soil pH
- Acidic to neutral
- Flower color
- White
- Fruit begins
- August
- Fruit ends
- October
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “April” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “White” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Fruit begins · “August” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Hardiness · “Zones 5a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “20–40 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- primary_flower_color · “white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil · “Dry; Moist (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
- Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “16–40 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as
Chinese Pear; Oriental Pear
Conservation status
| Virginia rank | SNA |
|---|---|
| Global rank | Not available |
| VA status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
Sources
- Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025)
- NatureServe Explorer
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications