Wild Rose: rosehips are one of the richest sources of vitamin C, which helps the body to resist infection, especially colds and influenza...

Common Names: Wild rose, Dog rose, Briar rose

Botanical Name: Rosa canina, Rosa spp.

Family: Rosaceae

Plant Type: Shrub

Parts Used: Petals, leaves, and hips

Flowering: June

Native to Europe and Asia, R. canina is also naturalized in North America. It grows wild in hedges, along roadsides, and at the edges of meadows and woodlands.

Description: Wild rose, or Dog rose is a shrub with arched, downward-curving branches. It has thorny stems, smooth green leaves, and clusters of five-petaled flowers that are white or tinged with pink. The flowers are followed by large, oval, scarlet hips.

Cultivation: Roses can be propagated from seeds, cuttings, or buddings. They do best in fairly heavy loam that is slightly acidic and enriched with organic matter. They require at least six hours of sunlight a day to flourish.

Harvesting: Rose hips are gathered when ripe; the seeds and irritant hairs they contain are removed. Petals are collected from newly opened flowers; they are used fresh, crushed, dried, or distilled for rose oil and rose water preparations.

Culinary Uses: Rosehips taste much like cranberries and have a high vitamin C content. They're good in syrups, jams, jellies, teas, and quick breads. Rosewater is used as a flavoring for sweets and candied rose petals are delicious edible garnishes.

Rose Magick

Love. Psychic Powers. Healing. Love Divination. Luck. Protection.

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Venus

Element: Water

Use rosehips in healing mixtures.

Drink rosebud tea to induce prophetic dreams.

Rosebushes grown in your garden will attract faeries.

Add rose water distilled from the petals to your bath water.

Wear a chaplet of roses, or place a single rose in a vase on your altar when performing love spells to enhance the love-magic.

Herbal Healing with Wild Rose

Cosmetic Uses: Use rosewater as a cleansing and astringent facial toner.

Medicinal Actions: Antibacterial, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antistress, antiviral, aperient, aphrodisiac, astringent (mild), calmative, carminative, cephalic, cholagogue, choleretic, cicatrizant, cytophylactic, depurative, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, emollient, hemostatic, hepatic, laxative, nervine, nutritive, pectoral, regenerator (skin cells), sedative, stimulant (circulatory system), stomachic, tonic (nerves), tonifying, uplifting

Medicinal Uses: Rose hips and petals are used to treat colds, bronchial infections, gastrointestinal complaints, diarrhea, and skin irritations. The hips are mildly diuretic and have a slight laxative effect. Rose leaves are also slightly laxative and are useful as an astringent poultice. Rose petals are often used in tonics and gargles for sore throats and mouth sores.

A tincture or syrup made from rosehips can be taken throughout the winter and into the next spring. Use it with elder flowers or berries (Sambucus), yarrow (Achillea), and echinacea.

The essential oil of rose is widely used in aromatherapy for depression and nervous tension. The by-product of creating rose essential oil is rose water, which is able to revive tired skin.

Body Care with Wild Rose

• To relieve a cold, fever or sore throat, take 1 cup rose petal infusion three times daily until the infection is gone.
• To recapture deep tenderness with a romantic partner, scent both pillowcases with rose petals.

Infusion: Steep 1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh rose petals in 1 cup just-boiled water for 5 minutes. Strain and drink.

Rose-scented pillow: lay an empty pillowcase flat and cover one half with fragrant rose petals. Loosely fold over the other half and leave for 2 - 3 days in a cool, dark place. Discard the petals before inserting the pillows.

Source: The Essential Herbs Handbook by Lesley Bremness

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