Hello – Thank you for reading my question. I hope everyone is doing well. It may be that I’m being impatient, but I’m trying to figure out if I have shrub roses. The newer branches (they are not just canes) have lots of small thorns. These strange growths on the branches may be what’s throwing me off. Thank you!
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners.
It is difficult from your picture to give a definitive ID. The branch in the back does look like a rose. The growths do not look like rose hips. I can not see them clearly but I believe they maybe galls. They are probably from wasps and contain larvae. I have included an article below that has some pictures for you to compare to see if it matches. I have also included our Gardeners Guide for pruning roses. At the end it covers pruning out galls.
If this does not seem to match what you are seeing, please send us a clearer picture of the growths.