Sweetbriar rose is native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia.
Sweetbriar rose is a large, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub. Stems have stout, downward-curving thorns. The compound leaves are alternate and divided into 5 to 7 leaflets with doubly serrated margins and gland-tipped teeth. The undersides of leaves have hairs and stalked glands that emit a sweet aroma when crushed. Flowers are born solitary or in small clusters at the ends of branches in summer. Seeds are produced in large 'hips' that are attractive to birds and wildlife, helping to spread the species. Individuals also spread vegetatively by layering and suckering, and the species is capable of forming dense thickets and hedges.
Sweetbriar rose was introduced to North America as early as the 1600s for use as an ornamental as well as for the formation of hedges (Mack, R.N. 2003. Plant naturalizations and invasions in the eastern United States: 1634-1860. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 90:77-90.)