Possibly a hawthorn? PLANT ID

(Question)

Came across this bush, in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, with red berries. At first I thought it might be a hawthorn. The bush has thorns, and red berries/fruit. but the leaves don’t seem to match hawthorn as I find on the internet. what do you think? thx v. much.

(Answer)

Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners with your plant ID questions.

With the photo and information you provided, it isn’t possible to provide a definitive ID, but we believe that the shrub you are inquiring about is likely Rosa canina or dog rose, a wild rose species native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia. You can find out more about this plant in this Wikipedia article.

For a more definitive identification, please review the Toronto Master Gardener webpage on Plant Identification Requests for tips on identifying plants, and details on the type of photo and information we need to make a more definitive identification.

Sept. 28, 2022