The pretty and popular dog rose belongs to the genus Bauera which was one of the first Australian genera to be described. It was named by Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820) in honour of the German botanical artists, Ferdinand and Franz Bauer. There are just four species (some sources state 3 species and 1 variety) in the genus which was once included in the Saxifragaceae family but is now regarded as part of the Cunoniaceae family.
Bauera is endemic to eastern Australia. The plants are evergreen and wiry-stemmed with small leaves borne in opposite pairs. The bowl-shaped flowers appear in the leaf axils in spring and early summer. The blossoms vary from pale pink through deeper shades to bright magenta.
Bauera sessiliflora or Grampians bauera grows to 3 metres and is endemic to the Grampians range in western Victoria. Its very long branches make it appear straggly and scrambling. It flowers prolifically, bearing blossoms of rose pink to magenta in late spring and early summer.
Bauera rubioides is also known as wiry bauera or river rose but its most common name is dog rose. It comes from the wetter regions of south-eastern Australia. It is the best known of the bauera family. In the wild it thrives in boggy situations and, in a garden situation, they will do well planted at the edge of a pond.
The dog rose is often straggly, even almost prostrate in its habit. It grows to 3 metres and has leaves of 12mm long which are often covered with fine hairs. The leaves take on an attractive red sheen in winter. The flowers may be white or pink, around 2cm in diameter, with 6 to 8 radiating petals. The centre is a mass of yellow stamens. It flowers through most of the year and is hardy and adaptable to a range of conditions. It responds well to pruning. Luina Gem is a cultivar of the dog rose and has attractive pale pink double flowers.
Bauera capitata (capitata = having heads of flowers) has numerous, slender woody stems. The leaflets are light green and narrow with one lobe or tooth at each side. The flowers are borne very close to the leaf axil. Little flower heads consisting of several pairs of flowers may appear at the ends of branches.
Bauera are easily grown and not demanding in their requirements. Groupings of the smaller varieties (B.capitata and B.rubioides var. microphylla) make an attractive display. The larger B.rubioides and B.sessiliflora are good choices as specimen plants or as a soft hedge for a shaded position.
For best results, plant in well-drained, light, sandy soils. Adding humus to the soil will help with water retention. Ideally, protection from extremes of heat and cold will be appreciated by the plants. They can be kept compact by an occasional light pruning.
