To grow roses from seeds, harvest ripe rose hips in fall, rinse the seeds clean, and chill them in a damp paper towel in the fridge at 34 to 38°F for 6 to 10 weeks. Sow each seed 1/4 inch deep as it sprouts. Expect only 20 to 30% of seeds to germinate and first blooms in 2 to 3 years.
At a Glance: Growing Roses From Seeds
- Seed source: Species roses resemble the parent. Hybrids give a brand-new rose.
- Harvest: Fully colored hips, just after your first light fall frost.
- Cold chill: 6 to 10 weeks at 34 to 38°F, or one winter outdoors.
- Germination: About 20 to 30%, so sow 3 times the plants you want.
- First blooms: 2 to 3 years after sprouting.
Will a Rose Grown From Seed Look Like Its Parent?
Only if the seed came from a species rose. Seed from a hybrid rose grows into a new plant with its own color, form, size, and fragrance.
Most garden center roses are hybrids. Their seeds mix genes from two parents, so every seedling is one of a kind. That is the real appeal of growing roses from seed.
For an exact copy of a rose you love, see our guide on how to grow roses from cuttings instead. Species roses, such as the dog rose (Rosa canina) and the rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa), are more likely to produce seedlings that resemble the parent. Unsure what you have? Use our rose variety guide.
When Are Rose Hips Ready to Harvest?
To grow roses from seeds, pick hips once they turn fully orange to red, ideally just after your first light fall frost and before a hard freeze. In most of the US, that means October through December.
A rose hip is the swollen base behind the flower where seeds form. Hips picked in late summer often hold immature seeds that will not sprout. Already deadheaded this year? Check for hips you missed, and next season leave about a third of the blooms on the bush to form stronger hips.
Slice ripe hips open with a paring knife and scoop out the seeds. Label each batch with its parent rose and date.
How Do You Clean and Prepare Rose Seeds?
Rinse off every bit of pulp, then soak the seeds in a mild hydrogen peroxide solution for one hour to discourage mold.
Supplies: paring knife, fine mesh strainer, 3% hydrogen peroxide, paper towels or vermiculite, zip bags, seedling tray, and seed-starting mix.
Clean seed matters when you grow roses from seeds, because leftover pulp invites mold during the long chill. Rinse the seeds in the strainer under running water, rubbing until no flesh remains.
For the soak, stir 1.5 teaspoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide into 1 cup of water and let the seeds sit for one hour.
How Long Do Rose Seeds Need in the Fridge?
Most rose seeds need 6 to 10 weeks of cold, moist chilling at 34 to 38°F before they will sprout. This step is called cold stratification.
Rose seeds stay dormant until they sense winter has passed, and skipping this step is the most common reason attempts to grow roses from seeds fail. To fake winter, fold the seeds into a damp paper towel or slightly moist vermiculite, seal them in a labeled zip bag, and refrigerate. The Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society recommends this same range.
Never let the seeds freeze or dry out. Check the bag weekly and plant any seed that sprouts in the fridge the same day. Pre-stratified seeds can skip this step, and a few species, including the dog rose, may need two winters of chilling.
Prefer the hands-off route? Sow cleaned seeds 1/4 inch deep in a pot of seed-starting mix right after harvest and leave it outdoors in a sheltered spot over winter. Nature handles the chill, and seeds sprout as the soil warms in spring. This works best in Zones 5 to 8, where winters stay reliably cold.
Expect a low sprout rate. One grower on the Rose Hybridizers Association forum put it plainly: “for every 10 seeds I sow I probably get one germination.” That is normal, not a sign you did something wrong.
How Do You Plant Sprouted Rose Seeds?
Sow each sprouted seed 1/4 inch deep and 2 inches apart in a moist, well-draining seed-starting mix.
Starting roses from seeds indoors works best in a seedling tray or small pots with drainage holes. Fill them with fine seed-starting mix, or a 50/50 blend of sterile potting mix and vermiculite. Keep it moist but never soggy, since constantly wet soil rots seedlings at the soil line.
Give seedlings strong light, ideally a grow light a few inches above the tray, or they turn weak and leggy.
When Can Rose Seedlings Go Outside?
Keep seedlings in pots through their first growing season, and move them outdoors only after your last spring frost date has passed.
Young roses from seed are tender. Once they have several sets of true leaves, move them into 4 inch pots filled with organic garden soil blended with potting mix. Harden them off over 7 to 10 days, adding a few more outdoor hours each day. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code, not just your zone.
After that, timing depends on your USDA hardiness zone:
- Zones 3 to 6: Keep seedlings potted the first year, overwinter them in an unheated garage or cold frame, and plant out next spring.
- Zones 7 and 8: Potted seedlings can winter outside in a sheltered spot. Plant them in fall or the following spring.
- Zones 9 and 10: Plant out once roots fill a 1 gallon pot.
Should You Grow Roses From Seed or Take Cuttings?
Cuttings give you more of a rose you already own. Seed gives you a rose nobody else has.
Growers are split on which is better, and both sides have a point:
| If you want | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A copy of a named rose you already grow | Cuttings | They skip the germination gamble and bloom sooner. |
| A new, unique rose, or you have a species rose | Seed | Grow roses from seed and enjoy the surprise. |
| Your first try at propagating roses | Both | A few cuttings for a reliable win, plus a small seed batch as an experiment. |
Garden Season Poll
Want more roses? Do you start from seed for a surprise, or take cuttings to clone a favorite?
- Seed: I want a rose nobody else has
- Cuttings: I want more of the rose I already love
Where you land on this depends on whether a one-of-a-kind rose is worth a 2 to 3 year wait, or whether you would rather have a guaranteed copy sooner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow a rose from seed?
Plan on 6 to 10 weeks of cold stratification, then several weeks to a few months for seeds to sprout. Some stubborn seeds take up to a year. After sprouting, most seedlings need 2 to 3 years to produce their first blooms, so growing roses from seed is a multi-year project.
Why are my rose seeds not germinating?
The most common causes are a chill period that was too short, seeds that dried out, mold from leftover pulp, or hips picked before they ripened. Low germination is also normal for roses, often 20 to 30%. If nothing sprouts after 10 weeks, give the seeds another 4 weeks of cold.
Do you have to soak rose seeds before planting?
No. The one hour hydrogen peroxide soak is optional and only helps prevent mold during stratification. It does not break dormancy. The cold, moist chill period is the step that matters most, because rose seeds will not sprout reliably until they have experienced several weeks of winter-like temperatures.
Can you buy seeds for rainbow roses?
Be wary of seed listings that promise rainbow roses or other unusual colors. Rainbow roses are white cut flowers dyed through their stems, not a variety that grows from seed. Our guide on how to make DIY rainbow roses shows how the effect is actually created.
Ready to Start Your First Batch?
Growing roses from seeds rewards patience more than skill. Harvest ripe hips this fall, give the seeds their cold chill, and sow more than you think you need. Even if only a handful sprout, each one is a rose that exists nowhere else.
Have you tried growing roses from seeds? Tell us how many sprouted in the comments below.
Related Guides:
- Rose Gardens 101: How To Grow Roses You’ll Be Proud Of
- How To Build A Rose Garden For Small Spaces
- 11 Stunning Rose Varieties Without Thorns
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