Rose hips

As the saying below illustrates, our ancestors in the Middle Ages were already aware of the benefits of rosehip as a magical remedy for staying healthy or curing minor ailments as quickly as possible – ‘Chew and eat three rosehip fruits and three juniper berries every day, whether you are well or ill.’

Ancient texts suggest, however, that the rosehip must have been known much earlier as an addition to simple dishes such as millet and oat porridge.

Their fragrance and beauty make roses the undisputed queen of the plant world. This statement can be found in practically every book on plants. However, the dog rose – which also belongs to the rose family – is not one of those select members of the genus that inspire artists and lovers.

Since time immemorial, the dog rose has been a thorny shrub found in hedges and thickets, in woods and on the edges of forests, up to altitudes of 1,500 metres above sea level. The dog rose is native to almost the whole of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa.

With its overhanging stems and branches, the shrub can grow to a height of several metres and is fully hardy. The light pink to white flowers, which appear singly or in clusters, have five pinnately lobed sepals. The flowering period is from late May to early July. The dog rose thrives in calcareous, moist and loose soils.

Once the fruits have taken on their unmistakably bright red colour, they can be harvested from summer well into autumn, depending on the location. Rose hips are very rich in vitamin C – a cupful of fruit contains roughly the same amount of vitamin C as 30 oranges.

Rose hips can be used to make a syrup or tea, which is used as a home remedy for bladder and kidney ailments.

It is important to note that the fleshy husks must be de-seeded and left to soak in water for about half an hour. You will need about a handful of fruits per litre of water. The husks must then be gently simmered together with the soaking water for about 10 to 15 minutes, after which they should be strained. The tea can be lightly sweetened with honey if desired.

Rose hips are also an ingredient in cough remedies and are used to flavour herbal remedies. Other uses for rose hips include the flu, mild infectious diseases, diarrhoea and scurvy.

If you have any further questions about the possible uses of rosehip = Rosa canina, we recommend that you consult a naturopath or a qualified chemist.

Who isn’t familiar with rosehip tea, with its unmistakable red colour?

Jams, jellies, juices, drinks and sweet sauces for game, as well as liqueurs or wines with a distinctly southern character – these are just a few examples of the many possibilities this fruit offers us.

Only ripe rosehips are used to make jam; these are the ones that have softened whilst still hanging on the bush – after the first frost.

Rosehip fruits also dry very well. To do this, they are halved lengthways and carefully cleaned of all seeds. The fruit skins and seeds must be dried separately in a well-ventilated, warm room.

It is also worth noting that the delicate petals can add lovely splashes of colour when scattered over a salad, or used to decorate soups and desserts.