Look at descriptions in manuals. Species are recognized using anatomical details.

Thanks Ron. The problem is I don't have many books about roses (actually, I haven't got any) but I'll do some more internet searches.

Olivier.

Hi Olivier,

Does your rose produce fruits? Does it have any scent? Is it a large plant?

In Trevor Griffith's book, "My World of Old Roses", he describes many species roses. Here's what he says about Woodsii Fendleri: "1888 - A North American species with single fragrant flowers about 40mm across which are lilac-pink in colour with golden-yellow stamens. Fruit are bright red and 12mm long, hang in clusters and last well into the autumn. Not many prickles and has attractive greyish-green fern-like foliage. An attractive and useful plant for any garden. Height up to 2 metres."

There is a picture in the book of the plant with very round, shiny, bright red fruits on it.

This description certainly does not rule out your rose from the picture you posted. I would call that lilac-pink. I can't tell you definitely though.

By the way, your English is not approximate, it is perfect!

I have two woodsii roses but not sure of any variety. Here is a close up pic of one bloom. They are very small flowers, but the bushes are big, 5 x 6 or so, and vase shaped, arching shrubs. The foliage and the bushes have an overall reddish cast from a distance.

Stef

Here is a link that might be useful: one of my woodsii's

Thanks for your additional help ;-)

Just went to have a look at the plant and it does has fruits, currently looking like tiny green tomatoes (very tiny, a few millimeters). As I wrote in my first post, the flowers aren't particularly fragrant - and I'm afraid don't quite match with Sgsmith's picture.

The shrub is still very young (a small specimen that I planted last year) but grows prettty fast : it's about 1.50 m/5' at the time beeing. Long strait shoots, not very thorny/prickly.

Guess I'll have to wait and see how the plant matures - arching habit or not, color of the fruits in fall/autumn...

I think it should be Rosa woodsii but probably not var. fendleri. Maybe another variety such as ultramontana.

Thanks again for your help and kindness,
Olivier.

Since it's a wild species pinkness of flowers will vary, as will size of parts (within a given range). Descriptions of wild species in gardening books that talk about the flowers being a certain color or shade of a color, the parts being one size aren't good for much.