Roses: Not Just for Decoration
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Rose (Rosa spp.)
When most people think of roses, they think of love, romance, Valentine’s Day… I think of the amazing medicinal properties of the flowers, and the delicious taste of the fruits! Then again, I’m not much of a romantic. But maybe after reading this article, you’ll see it as more than just a pretty face.
Habitat and Distribution
Fruits of Rosa rugosa.
Many species of rose grow across the United States and Canada, both native and non-native. Rose varieties grow wild in all fifty states and all Canadian provinces, except Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador. Roses typically grow in sunny or partly sunny areas, and are often found along forest edges, thickets, trailsides, and fence rows. And of course, they are often planted ornamentally in parks, yards, gardens, and other landscapes.
Identification
Botanical plate of Rosa canina.
It is unclear whether all cultivated rose varieties have the same edible and medicinal qualities as their wild cousins, so the following description applies to the wild species. Examples include Rosa canina, R. rugosa, R. multiflora, and R. woodsii. It should also be noted that many cultivated varieties are sprayed with chemicals that are not safe for consumption, as they are assumed by their growers to be purely ornamental.
Wild rose flowers have five petals and five sepals (leaf-like appendages that grow underneath the petals.) They have numerous, prominent stamens and pistils (the male and female reproductive parts of the flower.) This gives the center of the flower a somewhat bushy, fuzzy appearance. Most wild rose flowers are pink in color, though they can be white, red, or even yellow in rare cases.
The leaves of roses are arranged alternately on the stalk, and are pinnately compound with five to nine leaflets, occasionally eleven for certain species. Leaflets are finely serrated and oval-shaped. Two stipules (wing-like appendages) are often found at the base of the petiole (leaf stalk.)
The fruits (called rose hips) are round to oval, red or red-orange when ripe, and retain the remnants of the sepals at the bottom of the fruit. This looks like a dried leaf in the shape of a five-pointed star, like what apples have on their bottoms. (Apples are also in the rose family, hence the similarity.) Rose hips vary in size depending on the species; they can be as small as 1/4 inch across or as large as 1 inch.
Stems of rose are woody with thorns or bristles. They often form dense thickets, hence their popularity as a hedgerow species. The entire plant can be quite small— around a foot high— or very large at around twelve feet, depending on the species. As a shrub, the general form of the plant is bushy and spreading.
Fruiting multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora). This invasive species forms an impenetrable hedgerow and can reach heights of twelve feet. Photo credits: Multiflora Rose / Justin Tso / CC BY 2.0
Distinguishing between cultivated and wild roses isn’t always clear-cut, as the two hybridize. Furthermore, some cultivars have been intentionally bred with wild strains, in order to bestow the fussy domesticated roses with cold hardiness and general resilience. However, if you find a rose matching the above description growing freely in a field, forest edge, trailside, etc., it is most likely a wild species, as domesticated roses generally need human nurturance to survive.
Harvest and Preparation
Close-up of a rose flower of an unknown variety (Rosa spp.)
As described above, wild roses (not cultivated varieties) should be used for edible and medicinal purposes. Flowers and fruits are the edible portion of rose plants. Harvest flowers in summer at the height of bloom. They should look fresh and young, not withered, old, or damaged. Flowers can be made into tea and used medicinally as described below.
Rose hips appear on the plant in fall, but they soften and sweeten after frost. So you can wait for the temperature to drop until you pick them, or harvest in late fall and stick them in your freezer. Thaw them out after a few days and taste test. Be sure to nibble only on the fleshy part. Rose hip seeds contain scratchy hairs, so you want to avoid eating those! The fruit should be soft, mostly sweet, and a little sour. If it doesn’t taste good, find another batch. Some plants just taste better than others!
Rose hips are very high in vitamin C; at about 50 times higher than citrus, they are one of the highest plant sources! They also contain vitamins A, B, and the antioxidant lycopene that’s found in tomatoes. They make a tasty tea— just throw a couple teaspoons of the whole fruit in boiling water and let sit about 10 to 15 minutes. Since the seeds contain scratchy hairs, it is important to leave them whole. Or scoop out the seeds if you want to cut them in half; but that can be time consuming.
For sheer efficiency’s sake, it is best to pick larger rose hips and leave the smaller ones for wildlife. It can take quite a lot of time to harvest and process a reasonable quantity of rose hips when they’re only 1/4 inch across.
For a compilation of 25 recipes using rose hips, see http://montanahomesteader.com/rose-hips-foraging-recipes.
Medicinal Uses
Typically, rose petals are the part that’s used medicinally, though rose hips have been used as vitamin C supplements, and to treat coughs and lung congestion. Rose petals are great in tea, and have a wonderful cooling effect that brings down fevers and clears heat from the body. They are also anti-inflammatory: relieving rashes, joint pain, irritated bowels, head aches, and other inflammatory conditions.
As a nervine, rose petals have a relaxing and uplifting effect on the nervous system, and can alleviate insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and depression.
Rose petals also have a positive effect on the uterus, relieving pain and heavy periods, and promoting a regular cycle, fertility, and sexual desire.
The decongestant action of rose petals helps cure runny noses, coughs, and lung problems. Rose also enhances immunity, which can curb infections and prevent illness.
The tannin content of rose petals makes them a useful astringent for diarrhea, sore throats, bleeding gums, and other conditions that require tightening of tissues. The bitter principal promotes healthy functioning of the liver, gallbladder, and intestines.
Rose petals are also often used for beauty, as in rose water and rose facials. Rose petals can be used for a facial steam; simply add one to two tablespoons of dried petals (or three to six tablespoons fresh) to a small container of hot water. Make sure the container is non-reactive, such as stainless steel or glass. The water should be around simmer temperature, 180 degrees. Place the container on a counter and lean your head over it. Cover your head and the container with a towel to trap the steam. Keep eyes and mouth close and sit for about 10 minutes. Follow up with splashing cold water on your face to close the pores.
Infusion
An infusion of herbs including rose buds. Adapted from the following photo: Homemade tea flowers mint / Le living and co / CC by 2.0
Rose petals should be prepared as an infusion, in which they steep in hot water, rather than a decoction, in which tough or woody materials are boiled. Infusions are used for delicate plant material such as leaves or flowers. To make an infusion, start with the fresh or dried plant material. Fresh material requires greater quantities, because it contains the weight and volume of water, which has been evaporated out of the dry. For a quart jar’s worth of tea, you will need approximately one cup dried plant material or three cups fresh.
Bring a quart of water to simmer in a saucepan. Make sure it is not boiling! Boiling water will destroy delicate compounds. You want it just at the point where a few bubbles are rising and steam is escaping, which should be about 180 degrees. Place the fresh or dried plant material in a quart jar, and pour in the hot water. Place a lid on the jar. This will help prevent volatile compounds from escaping. Steep for 15 minutes to a half hour. Longer steeping won’t hurt anything, so if you forget about it, that’s ok! Strain out the plant matter and drink warm or cold. The tea will keep in the fridge for 48 hours. The standard dose is one cup, drank three times daily. However, keep in mind that the dosage varies depending on the person and condition being treated.
Not Just For Decoration
Hopefully this article has given you a deeper appreciation of the stately rose. I used to think of it as a tacky decorative pattern, but after learning about the edible and medicinal properties, I can enjoy the plant without abandon! I hope you can too!
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