This plant has many common names, including rugosa rose, saltspray rose, beach tomato and Japanese rose. While deer will devour most roses, for some reason they only occasionally eat this one. Likewise, while not exactly an easy plant to grow, it is more disease and insect resistant than most other varieties of roses. I would be remiss if I didn't discuss the myriad of diseases and pests that plague roses, including Rosa rugosa. So before expounding on the merits of this plant, let's get the bad news out of the way.
Roses are prone to several fungal diseases, black spot and powdery mildew being the most common.
To help prevent your plants from getting these diseases, sprinkle them with sulfur powder in May and June. This will stop the fungus spores from germinating. Also make sure your plants have adequate air circulation around them. By periodically removing some of the inner branches, air will be able to pass through the plant, reducing the likelihood of fungal diseases. Roses are also prone to insect damage.