Golden Vista Farm

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Wild Roses & Rose Hips

Ya know what is pretty darn fabulous?? Being able to go out into my own backyard and pick wild rose petals and rose hips! Love having healthy plants in my yard that I can pick for free. Vitamin C here I come!


This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. It is important that you do thorough research from multiple reliable sources before using herbs. While herbs are generally considered very safe there are exceptions. This is by no means a complete monograph of this particular herb. My intent is to peak your interest enough to begin a lifelong journey using herbs. 

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Wild Rose Botanical Name

Rosa acicularis

Family

Rosaceae (rose family)

Where it Grows

The wild rose bush can be found nearly around the world. In North America it grows all the way from Alaska to New Mexico. They love to grow along waterways, mountainsides, and on the edges of forests. Specifically willow, cottonwood, and conifers.

Parts Used

Leaves, flowers, and fruits (hips)

When to harvest

Leaves: early spring

Flowers and flower buds: summer

Hips: Fall, after the first frost

Plant properties

Flowers: emollient

Leaves: Astringent

Hips: Antimicrobial, high in vitamin C, high in flavonoids, astringent, and diuretic

Energetics

Cooling

Preparations used

Tea/tisane/infusion, oil infusion, hydrosol, honey, syrup, vinegar, food

Uses for Wild Rose

Rose hips are extremely hight in vitamin C. 1 ounce of rose hips contains about 200% of your daily value. The only bummer is, about 40% of the vitamin C is lost during the drying process. But, that's still quite a bit of vitamin C! 

Due to the high amount of bioflavonoids, rose hips make an excellent tonic for the heart and entire circulatory system. Including helping to heal varicose veins and strengthening the capillaries. Bioflavonoids are known as a super antioxidant (along with being antiinflammatory) and are extremely beneficial in combating arthritis and even Alzheimer's disease.

Because of the high vitamin C content, along with all the other vitamins and minerals, rose hips are a great herb to take during cold and flu season to boost the immune system. 

The rose petals are well known in many cosmetic preparations due to their emollient property. Which means it softens and soothes the skin. They are also humectant and help retain moisture in the skin. This is very useful for dry, mature, and dull skin.

Things to note

The small hairs on the seeds can be mildly irritating to some people. In that case, removing the seeds is ideal. Personally I don't worry about it, but it's worth mentioning.

Harvesting the rose hips after the first frost, when the hips are bright red is best. However, I've found that in Alaska if I wait until it freezes the rose hips turn limp and mushy. So I pick them whenever they are firm and bright red. 

After I harvest them, I bring them inside and pluck off all the little ends and then dry them. You can either air dry them or use a dehydrator. I prefer the dehydrator only because since they are on the fat side, they take awhile to air dry and I have had them mold on me before. Using the dehydrator eliminates that. 

To extract the most vitamin C out of the hips, make a tea by pouring boiling water over them and allowing them to infuse for a minimum of 10 minutes. 

Harvesting sustainably

If you’re out picking the rose petals, I know it’s tedious, but be sure and leave one petal on each rose. This ensures that the bees will continue to pollinate that flower and a hip will still form. If you wipe out all the petals, the bees will not pollinate and no hips will form.

Be sure to harvest in places you are welcome, and places that are away from polluted areas such as busy roads.

Put it in to practice

Now that you know all about how wonderful the wild rose is, here are some ideas to get you started!

  • Make a tea with the hips (in a combination or alone)

  • Put some hips into a tincture

  • Make rose hip syrup

  • Make rose flower honey

  • Eat the hips right off the bush (not too many as they can have a laxative effect due to the vitamin C!) :)

  • Make rose hip or rose petal jam

  • Make a lovely rose petal hydrosol

Where to purchase if you don’t have access to wild roses

I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog! By purchasing through one of my affiliate links you will not spend a penny more, but you are allowing me to receive a small commission. This allows me to keep posting great content for you. Thanks for your support!

If you are unable to grow your own herbs, or find ingredients locally, then here are two of my favorite places to buy bulk ingredients:

·        Starwest Botanicals

·        Mountain Rose Herbs

Now let me know your favorite thing to do with wild roses!