In the Realm of Roses there are over a hundred species and within these are varieties that have been assigned thousands of names. So where does one begin to choose between them as a discussion point?

Of all the roses we brought into our outdoor living space, about fourteen years ago now, only one climbing variety remains along with an abundance of Wild Roses that began as a small, singular clump which spread out into a wonderful collection of bountiful beauty over the years. This “natural” Rose species is the one I am most familiar with and as a result is the focus of my discussion here :)

Our Wild Rose (Rosa canina) or Briar Hip is a plant that can grow quite tall, from 2 to 13 feet in fact but in our space tends to be less demonstrative with stems that are covered in sharp spines and prickles. Its leaves are odd-pinnate, usually displayed in 5 to 7 leaflets that are opposite, ovate, acute, serrate and slightly fuzzy beneath. The nearly white to deep red flowers with their magnificent scent are usually single and five-petaled growing at the end of each side branch appearing from May to July.

The flower evolves into an oblong, scarlet to orange-red fruit known as Haws, Hips or Rosehips containing many one-seeded achenes, ripening in the autumn and remaining in place, if not collected, all through winter. I personally harvest about half of the Hips our Wild Roses produce just after the first frost leaving the rest for Wildlife and find this ample for our use. The nutritional element most evident in each Hip is that it has a very high Vitamin C content, some Vitamin A (beta carotene), considerable Pectin (soluble fiber) and tastes a bit like tart apples.

However because Hips can be dried and stored nicely in an air tight container(s) I do set some of my harvest aside in this manner for whatever I need to use them for later. The rest are broken down for various uses like Tea, salads, main dishes, etc. at time of harvesting or next day for freshness.

When I’m making a Tea for example, I put about two tablespoons of fresh Hips into a pint of water and then boil covered for about ten minutes or until the pod breaks open, much as you would see if boiling fresh cranberries. The resulting Tea is similar to lemon juice when ready, though not as severe in flavor, never the less I do like to sweeten with honey before ingesting. I also take the cooled cooked berries and store for a safe period of time then use in salads, muffins, berry pie mixtures, and so on.

I have refrained from going into the “medicinal properties” of this particular plant because in fact all Roses are very similar in their healing benefits. I will however share my thoughts with regard to plants in general and that is they are far more valuable than what they may at first seem. In today’s chaotic stream, one may forget what they once knew with regard to these allies or they can search out information for their own benefit. Either way it is a winning situation to either remember or learn anew information that may well save your life in the long run.

         

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