Dog Rose — Forest Farm Peace Garden

Common Name Dog Rose

Genus & Species Rosa canina (L.)

Family Rosaceae

Other Species Other wild roses include Sweet Briar or Eglantine (Rosa rubiginosa) and the Burnet Rose (Rosa pimpinellifolia). The Beach Rose (Rosa rugosa) is a shrub native to Asia but is widely naturalised. All domestic garden roses can be used in similar ways.

Range and Habitat Commonly found growing in hedgerows, woodland edges and on scrubland R. canina is more common in the south of the UK but can be found all over, especially in heavy soils.

General ID The Dog Rose is a deciduous climbing shrub approximately 1–5 metres in height, though sometimes it can scramble higher into the crowns of taller trees. Its stems are covered with small, sharp, hooked prickles, which aid it in climbing. The leaves are pinnate, with 5–7 leaflets. The flowers are usually pale pink but can vary between a deep pink and white. They are 4–6 centimetres (1.6–2.4 in) in diameter with five petals, and mature into an oval, 1.5–2-centimetre (0.59–0.79 in), red-orange fruit, or hip. Eglantine is very similar, but the foliage smells of apples. The Beach Rose is a shrub rather than a climber and has much flatter hips.

For food… As with all roses, the two main parts of the plant used for food are the flowers and the fruit, the hip. The flowers can be made into a syrup, or can be eaten in salads, or candied or preserved in vinegar, honey and brandy. They are also a key ingredient in the spice mixture Ras-el-hanout. The flowers can also be used to make rosewater, itself a flavouring of Turkish delight, ras malai, gulab jamun and other Asian delicacies.

The fruit is noted for its high level of vitamin C, and is used to make syrup, tea, marmalade and chutneys. It can also be used in the making of pies, stews, and wine. The fruit can also be eaten straight from the plant once the fruit is soft, so is best picked after frosts. Care should be taken not to ingest the hairs on the seeds. By squeezing the soft fruit it is possible to get the soft, sweet and sharp flesh with the seeds held in the hip’s skin. In Bulgaria the hips are used to make a sweet wine as well as tea. The hips are used as a flavouring in Cockta, a soft drink made in Slovenia.

For healing… Rose hips are high in vitamin C and were traditionally used to make syrups taken to boost levels. In traditional Austrian medicine, hips have been used internally as tea for treatment of viral infections and disorders of the kidneys and urinary tract. Medicinal interest in rose hips has increased as a consequence of research that has explored the potential application of rose hips for treatment of several diseases including skin disorders, hepatotoxicity, renal disturbances, diarrhoea, inflammatory disorders, arthritis, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, obesity and cancer.

In aromatherapy rose essential oil relieves stress, fights anxiety, and to regenerate skin while comforting the mind, slowly relaxing muscles to relieve spasms, and reduce inflammation.

In culture… Historically, residue products from rose hips have been used as animal fodder, but now are being explored and gaining an important role in cosmetics, pharmacology and in food applications as they contain oil with a high degree of unsaturated lipids.

The dog rose was the stylised rose of medieval European heraldry. It is the county flower of Hampshire, and Ireland's County Leitrim is nicknamed "The Wild Rose County" due to the prevalence of the dog rose in the area. Legend states the Thousand-year Rose or Hildesheim Rose, which climbs against a wall of Hildesheim Cathedral, dates back to the establishment of the diocese in 815. It has a less noble connotation in Germany where it is linked to the Devil and its fruits were said to be used by fairies to make themselves invisible. The flower is one of the national symbols of Romania.

The first recorded significance of the flower dates back hundreds of years ago to The Academy of Floral Games (founded in 1323), which gifted poets a sprig of Dog-rose to reward them for their literary excellence. Due to this ritual, the branches became increasingly popular and can be found frequently mentioned in several famous poems. Most prevalent in the United Kingdom, William Shakespeare wrote about the flower in “A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream”. Bao Ninh in “The Sorrow of War,” his novel of the Vietnam War from a North Vietnamese soldier’s perspective, writes: “With (Rosa) canina one smoked to forget the daily hell of the soldier’s life, smoked to forget hunger and suffering. Also, to forget death. And totally, but totally, to forget tomorrow.” During World War II in the United States, Rosa canina was planted in victory gardens.

The Roman naturalist Pliny attributed the name dog rose to a belief that the plant's root could cure the bite of a mad dog, a treatment which It is known to have been used in the 18th and 19th centuries. Alternatively, it may be related to the hooked prickles on the plant that have resemblance to a dog's canines. It is not clear if the dogs were rabid. Other old folk names include dogberry and witches' briar.

For wildlife… Dog rose flowers are an important nectar source for a wide range of insects and its fruits are a food source for many birds such as blackbirds (Turdus merula), redwings (Turdus iliacus) and bohemian waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus). It is the larval foodplant of the grizzled skipper butterfly (Pyrgus malvae).

At FFPG… It can be found in the hedgerows around FFPG, including by the portacabin, behind the ponds and between the rockery and orchard.

Disclaimer:

This is intended for information only. FFPG, its staff, trustees and volunteers do not make any claim as to the safety or efficacy of plants listed for medicinal purposes and do not encourage the consumption or use of any of the plants listed herein. Anybody wishing to use plants for medicinal effect is advised to consult their medical professional.