Rose Hips

There are about fourteen species of native wild roses in varios parts of Canada.

The wild roses are erect, multi-stemmed shrubs, with smooth reddish or greenish back, ususally well armed with numerous slender spines or stout thorns, or both. The blossoms are born singlly or in clusters, and their size varies considerably with the species. Most wild rose flowers are delicately and beautifully scented. Rose fruits known as 'hips' are spherial or elongated, and when ripe are orange to deep red.

When my son Roy wanted Rose hip jelly, we went together to pick some. We picked a bucket and that gave us 3 jars of jelly. The rosehips have pectin to naturally, it jelled by itself.. Great for vitamin C.

The rose hips consist of an edible, rleshly outer rind sourrounding a mass of tightly packed whitish seeds. How I knew this was of my grandmother. She was a nature nut, love using God's goodness to her family. I adopted that to share with others.

Where to find wild roses occur through out Canada except above the tree line in the Far North. They grow in woods and meadows and often form dense thickets along roadsides and fences.

How to use rosehips are best for eating when picked fully mature but before the outer rind has been softened by frost. However, they can be gathered and used any time during fall and winter, even when frozen on the bushed.

It should be noted that the seeds do contain high concentrations of vitamin E, and more the hairs are removed by rubbing or washing the seeds can be ground and used in baking or cooking as a vitamin supplement.

Once the seeds are removed, rosehips can be eaten raw in salads, sandwich fillings or desserts, or can be dried for later use in soups and tea.

Because rose hips are so easy to gather and so wholesome, it is surprising that they are not produced in Canada on a commercial basis. In many European countries rose hips are exported as syrup, jelly, dried soup and tea and most of these products are available in our own helath-food stores and specialty shops, usually at a healthy price.

More for your Interest

Rose hips are also a good source of vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus and iron, Furing the Second World War II, rose hips became very important in Great Britian and the Scandinavian countries when the citrus fruit supplies were cut off. Rose hips were gathered in tremendous quantities and made into syrup or dried and made into powder, and the product was distributed as a vitamin suppliment. Rosehip syrup is still readily avaable throughout the British Isles.

Rose-petal honey , made at least as long ago as the middle of the thirteenth century, is still a favorite, and easy to make. Simple take
2 cups honey being to a boil, and add 1 cup wild rose petals. Let stand for a few hours, reheat, starain to remove the petals, bottle.

By the end of the Christmas season rosehips area already dried and ready for use to make rosrhip tea.

Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 heaping teaspoons of chopped rose hips. You can use rose hips with or without their seeds. Steep the herbal tea, covered, for 15 minutes and strain. Sweeten the refreshing, slightly sour tea with honey, if desired. Drink the tea lukewarm at bedtime for maximum effectiveness.

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