Native to Northeast Iowa and much of Minnesota. Very hardy. Has grown on my property likely a century through horrible winters. Instead of forming a cohesive connected bush it sends individual canes up along it's roots that branch out near the top. Blooms well in partial/bright shade and is well known for growing in woodlands and blooming in shade. Forms large hips that birds seem to love. Great rose bush for the native garden and supporting wildlife. Will sucker heavily from the roots and quite a distance away. Not for the small garden. I didn't plant it on my property it exists natively here. Native to marshes and very wet environments. One of the three roses native to Iowa including r. Arkansa and r. Carolina.

New Phytol. 37: 72-81. 1938
PHYLOGENY AND POLYPLOIDY IN ROSA
EILEEN W. ERLANSON, D.Sc.
p. 75
R. blanda Ait., which is related to R. Woodsii and gives fertile spontaneous hybrids with it, belongs to north-eastern North America. It extends from Pennsylvania to Anticosti, and to Illinois, the Dakotas, Manitoba and Hudson Bay (see Erlanson, 1929, Fig. 4). This is a diploid rose which can thrive under almost arctic conditions but it has not spread far to the south.