The following was received via email: Could you please tell me the uses and benefits of rosehip berries. I am a health educator and can't seem to find the uses of this berry. Is it poisonous? Thank-you for taking the time whoever you are!! Take care.
Rosehip tea: "Tangy and healthful because of its high vitamin C content. Blends well with many herbs. The rose hip is the fruit of the dog rose. Hips should be picked in the fall, cut into pieces and dried. Bring 1 TBSP dried hips and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil, remove from heat and steep for 15 minutes. " quoted from : Magic and Medicine of plants, Readers Digest, 2nd printing, 1988 page 417 "...gather fruits (hips) as they ripen in Autumn (after frost) or winter, wash and remove dried persistent flower parts from tops of hips, then split open and remove seeds. Eat pulpy portion fresh or in jellies or sauces. Dry whole or halved fruits for later use (soak overnight in warm water) or finely grate or grind dried hips to yield a slightly fragrant powder rich in vitamin C and essential minerals. Sprinkle over hot breakfast cereals or use to make hot tea. Also wash young leaves, cut into small pieces and dry for hot rose tea. Flower petals can be used in candy, tea and jellies but fruits are more nutritious." quoted from: Edible Wild Plants, a North American Field Guide. Sterling Publishing, 1990, page 220-221
In the UK during and after WWII wild rosehips were gathered on a national scale to produce rosehip syrup, supposedly, I think, a source of Vitamin C
Is the Dog Rose the only rose used for rosehips? What does it look like? What do rosehips look like? Leeta
Most roses set hips, the most prolific seem to be the Rugosas and the Albas. The shape, size and colour of hips varies widely. From yellow to orange, red, purple, brown and near black. From round to oval to bottle shaped, from 1/4" like holly, to 1" and larger like tomatoes. Only a few hybrid roses are hipless.
Hi Some good reciepes (at least some ideas) and info at http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blrosehips.htm Yum yum ;) Regards Doug
