Botanicals:
Botanical Index - Wild Edibles & Medicinals - Flower Essences - Aromatherapy - Healing Foods
Botanical Index - Wild Edibles & Medicinals - Flower Essences - Aromatherapy - Healing Foods
Wild Rose
Rose roots deeply into the earth, anchored to and woven through her heart.
Blood courses through her veins, winding into light. Spring Blossoms from the vine.
Rose fruits fairy-like charms of Fall ripening the last exhale of summer's sleepy surrender.
Rose hips shimmer under the first frost, sparkle in the morning light, bathe in sweet memories of summer and embrace the still Winter.
As the silence deepens the rose fruit hip, juicy and sweet, freezes on the vine, staying perfectly still, steadfast and unwavering, resolute for spring.
Blood courses through her veins, winding into light. Spring Blossoms from the vine.
Rose fruits fairy-like charms of Fall ripening the last exhale of summer's sleepy surrender.
Rose hips shimmer under the first frost, sparkle in the morning light, bathe in sweet memories of summer and embrace the still Winter.
As the silence deepens the rose fruit hip, juicy and sweet, freezes on the vine, staying perfectly still, steadfast and unwavering, resolute for spring.
Wild Rose
A description of the Wild Rose seems almost superfluous. All of our wild species have a single row of petals, usually five, with many typical yellow stamens, and are distinctly smaller than cultivated hybrids. Like all basic roses, they are pink. The stems are variously thorny and slightly waxy-sticky, the leaves rose - pine 8 with five to nine leaflets. Variations of leaf numbers, petal numbers, and color, and even the presence or absence of thorniness, is common within the same species. The flowers mature into hips, the little fruit that turns from green yellow to opaque orange and finally (with a good Frost) to translucent dark red. Roses are found at all altitudes in our area, but most frequently are in mountainous areas, from foothills stream sides to moist Meadows above 10,000 feet. They may form thickets of two- and three-foot tall plants or clusters of large bushes, depending on the species an growing conditions. Cultivated Roses may be used in the same manner, although the hips are mealy and rather useless unless grown in a climate that has a distinct winter season. (Michael Moore, Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West)
The Hips
Benefits
The therapeutic potential of Rose Hips is based on its antioxidant effects caused by or associated with its phytochemical composition. One hundred twenty nine phytochemical compounds have been isolated and identified from the rose hip, including: flavonoids, tannins, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, galactolipids, carotenoids, fruit acids and fatty oils can be considered responsible for the observed pharmacological and clinical effects.
Scientific studies have suggested a wide range of pharmacological activities for rose hip including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, cardioprotective, antiaging, anti H. pylori, neuroprotective and anti-nociceptive activities.
These properties make it especially useful as a potential treatment for several diseases including skin disorders, hepatotoxicity, renal disturbances, diarrhoea, inflammatory disorders, arthritis, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, obesity and cancer.
(Research Source: Pubmed)
Scientific studies have suggested a wide range of pharmacological activities for rose hip including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, cardioprotective, antiaging, anti H. pylori, neuroprotective and anti-nociceptive activities.
These properties make it especially useful as a potential treatment for several diseases including skin disorders, hepatotoxicity, renal disturbances, diarrhoea, inflammatory disorders, arthritis, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, obesity and cancer.
(Research Source: Pubmed)
Research has shown rose hips to:
Prevent dizziness and the effects of vertigo.
Reduce the accumulation of fat cells in the liver.
Significantly assist in wound healing and improve scars.
Significantly reduce facial wrinkles while increasing skin moisture and elasticity.
Successfully treat osteoarthritis due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Balance women’s reproductive health, regulating menstrual flow, easing uterine cramps, and preventing breast disorders.
Improve kidney conditions, gastroenteric ailments, hypertension and respiratory problems such as bronchitis, cough and cold.
Reduce cardiovascular risk in obese people through lowering of systolic blood pressure and plasma cholesterol levels.
Purify and nourish the blood and lymphatic system which aids in preventing stress related illnesses.
Strengthen the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive system.
Reduce body fat mass and prevent body weight gain, lowering blood glucose, insulin and cholesterol levels.
Prevent dizziness and the effects of vertigo.
Reduce the accumulation of fat cells in the liver.
Significantly assist in wound healing and improve scars.
Significantly reduce facial wrinkles while increasing skin moisture and elasticity.
Successfully treat osteoarthritis due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Balance women’s reproductive health, regulating menstrual flow, easing uterine cramps, and preventing breast disorders.
Improve kidney conditions, gastroenteric ailments, hypertension and respiratory problems such as bronchitis, cough and cold.
Reduce cardiovascular risk in obese people through lowering of systolic blood pressure and plasma cholesterol levels.
Purify and nourish the blood and lymphatic system which aids in preventing stress related illnesses.
Strengthen the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive system.
Reduce body fat mass and prevent body weight gain, lowering blood glucose, insulin and cholesterol levels.
Harvesting Guidelines
Fresh rose hips can be harvested from any type of rose, although it is the smaller species that is most commonly used for medicinal purposes, and especially the Rosa Rugosa that has been the variety given the most scientific attention.
Pick the hips in the Fall, after the first frost and before the hard freeze, when they are juicy and ripe.
Pick the hips in the Fall, after the first frost and before the hard freeze, when they are juicy and ripe.
Rosehip Infused Honey

Rosehip Infused Honey:
Raw honey is both an extractor and preserver of plants. Rose hip infused honey imbues the energetic signature of the the rose in its purest and highest form into the honey, an alchemy of the life force energy, energetic signature, and phytochemicals from the wild rose, preserved in time.
Harvest Rosehips in the fall, just after the first frost and before the hard freeze, when they are juicy and ripe.
(If there is moisture, let them dry in the sun or overnight)
Pour raw honey over over hips, covering generously. Seal jar and set in sunny windowsill for approximately one moon cycle. Twirl and swirl the jar on occasion so you can stir (and admire!) the honey and hips.
Strain the honey any time after it has been infused (honey will take on a sweet wild rose scent and flavor, that is how you know it has been infused). Another option is to allow the hips to remain in the honey, infused and preserved. The hips may then be used to make a sweet rose hip tea.
Raw honey is both an extractor and preserver of plants. Rose hip infused honey imbues the energetic signature of the the rose in its purest and highest form into the honey, an alchemy of the life force energy, energetic signature, and phytochemicals from the wild rose, preserved in time.
Harvest Rosehips in the fall, just after the first frost and before the hard freeze, when they are juicy and ripe.
(If there is moisture, let them dry in the sun or overnight)
Pour raw honey over over hips, covering generously. Seal jar and set in sunny windowsill for approximately one moon cycle. Twirl and swirl the jar on occasion so you can stir (and admire!) the honey and hips.
Strain the honey any time after it has been infused (honey will take on a sweet wild rose scent and flavor, that is how you know it has been infused). Another option is to allow the hips to remain in the honey, infused and preserved. The hips may then be used to make a sweet rose hip tea.