ROSE HIPS
Janice Tucker

"..Unlike people, roses probably do not consider themselves as having a purpose in life. But if a rose bush did have a mission, I expect its greatest sense of achievement would come from creating, not just a whole lot of beautiful flowers, but the grand array of round, red rose hips which come after them....Elder Woman


First the rose bloom and then the rose hip. Rose hips are the fruit of the rose and are usually red or orange, although some can be purple or black. Red and orange hips add bright spots of color to a bleak winter landscape and provide much needed food for birds during cold weather.

If you do have rose hips, don’t let them all go to the birds! They’re good for humans too. Rose hips are rich in vitamins C, A, D and E as well as essential fatty acids, antioxidant flavinoids and iron. During World War II, the U. S. government encouraged citizens to grow victory gardens. Because they are rich in vitamin C, rose bushes were grown in these special gardens not for the blooms but for the hips. During that same time period citrus fruit imports to Great Britain were greatly curtailed, and the British people turned to rose hips to obtain a sufficient supply of vitamin C in their diet. In fact, rose hips have a higher concentration of “C” than any of the citrus fruits. The Rosa rugosa (Rugosa rose) or the Rosa canina (Dog rose) are reputed to produce hips containing the most concentrated properties used for medicinal purposes.

Rose hips can vary in size, color and taste. The best time to harvest them is after the first frost when they are soft and colorful. They have a tangy fruity flavor similar to a cranberry and vary in tartness depending on the type of rose and when harvested. They can be eaten fresh or dried either as a snack or used as ingredients in a variety of teas, soups, jams and jellies. Health food stores stock shelf after shelf of products containing rose hips. They are used to treat a variety of ailments from flu, arthritis and colds to urinary tract problems and constipation, plus they are a common component in many beauty treatments.

Native Americans valued wild rose bushes in order to collect the hips to supplement their diet. Since the hips could be dried, they were even more valuable as a sustainable food during the cold, winter months. Native American women did not discard the rose hips after making a tea. Instead, the fruits were re-used in soups, stews and other dishes.

In addition to their medicinal and culinary value, rose hips are just downright pretty! Gather a bunch of hips to use in flower arrangements, centerpieces or wreaths. Toss them into a potpourri mixture. They complement other flowers and plant materials and are lovely enough to stand alone just like the blooms that preceded them.

Many gardeners stop pruning their roses toward the end of the blooming season, allowing the blooms to “go to hip." This practice may be anathema to some rosarians. After all, we are usually advised to deadhead and prune roses in order to keep them blooming and healthy. Well, why not compromise? Prune some roses as usual, but allow others to go to hip to extend your enjoyment of the plant beyond its bloom.

Visit www.santafebotanicalgarden.org to learn more about how Santa Fe Botanical Garden celebrates, cultivates and conserves the rich botanical heritage and biodiversity of the region.