Rose Hips Facts

Where the Hip Forms

• The parts of the rose that grow into a fruit are located at the base of the flower petals. If the flower is fertilized by a bee, the fruit will begin to swell after the petals have faded and fallen off. On roses that form hips, the entire bush is covered with small, berrylike fruits in fall which often remain on the plant into winter.

  Different species produce hips of different sizes, shapes and colors. Some are the size of large peas and others are as big as small tomatoes; colors range from green through shades of orange and red to dark purple and mahogany. The fruits are hard, like small apples, and are usually round, though some are elongated.

The Best Hip Producers

• The rose species with the best-tasting hips is said to be Rosa rugosa, which is also known for its clove-scented flowers, wrinkled leaves and healthy, easy-care constitution. Rugosa hips have a tangy taste somewhat like cranberries. Rosa rugosa and Rosa canina (the dog rose) have the hips with the most vitamin C. Rosa moyesii 'Geranium' is grown mainly for its tomato-red hips, which make a striking fall display. Most of the wild rose species, such as Rosa virginiana, produce hips.

Wild Medicine

• Roses were grown in ancient times for medicinal use. Pliny in 77 A.D. recommended rose hips as a diuretic and laxative, and American Indians used American species to treat influenza, diarrhea and urinary tract infections.. Rose hips are very high in vitamin C, higher per unit of weight than citrus fruits. They contain phytochemicals, which are known to protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. Because of their anti-inflammatory properties, they have been used to treat osteoarthritis.

Eating Rose Hips

• Although they are very sour (probably due to their high content of acidic vitamin C), rose hips can be used in many dishes. Rose-hip jam or jelly is made from equal parts rose hips and sugar to counteract the sourness. Rose hips can be made into soup, wine, pies and tarts, and added to apple sauce, stews, puddings and breads. They can be used fresh, dried or preserved.

  Perhaps their best-known use is in rose-hip tea, in which fresh hips are boiled in water. American Indians served the boiled hips as a vegetable after the tea was made, adding butter and salt.

Preparation

• Rose hips should be gathered after the first frost has softened them and improved their flavor. Trim off both ends, slice the fruit in half and remove the seeds, which are embedded in a mesh of fine hairs that are irritating to eat. For tea, boil four to eight hips per cup of tea, adding mint, sweeteners or hibiscus flowers to improve the flavor. Don't use an aluminum pan, as aluminum destroys vitamin C.