How do roses build failure-resistant anchoring tools?

Abstract

Rose prickles are small-scale, plant-based anchoring tools of multifunctional biomechanical roles, combining physical defense against herbivores and growth support on surrounding objects. By employing multiscale structural observations, nanomechanical characterizations, and finite-element simulations, we unveil that the dog rose (Rosa canina Linnaeus) prickle incorporates structural–mechanical modifications at different length scales, resulting in macroscopic stress-locking effects that provide the prickle extreme damage-resistant capabilities and secure its functional form against catastrophic failures. These functional design strategies, unique to plant-based biomechanical tools, may promote futuristic micro-engineered anchoring platforms for micro-robotics locomotion, biomedical microinjection, and micromechanical systems.