Background: Members of the rose family are evidenced in 35 million year-old fossils. The rose remains a very sought-after and much grown flower. Appreciation of the rose is evidenced in early Babylonian, Grecian and Roman histories. It appeared on coins as early as 4000 BC.
Indigenous to Europe, Rosa canina, the only rose to produce reliable quantities of rose hips for commercial use, was introduced to North America. The hip itself is distinguished by the name Rosae caninae fructus, and was officially listed in the 1885 British Pharmacopoeia.
The hip or fruit is not a true fruit. It consists of the developed tube of the calyx, enclosing within its cavity numerous carpels or true fruits. Due to a presence of vanillin a light vanilla fragrance is noted.
Rose hips are wonderful in teas, and to flavor other foods and beverages. Rose hip syrup, jam, and jelly recipes are numerous. Rose hip soup is a popular Swedish specialty. Rhodomel, a type of honey wine, is made with rose hips.
The rose absolute and rose essential oils are used aroma-therapeutically for their gentle, energizing stimulant effects. Reducing build-up of daily stresses, they are used to diminish depression and nervous tension.
Rose hip seed oil contains vitamin A (retinol) and is high in the essential fatty acids linoleic acid (omega-3) and linolenic acid (omega-6.) It is very effective in preventing, reducing or eliminating scarring. It is an ingredient of many skin care products. Rose hips contain to 2000 mg of vitamin C in each 100 g of dried hips. Ten to fifty times that of an orange. It is recognized to be among the richest plant sources of vitamin C. Rose hips were sought after when citrus fruit was not available to prevent scurvy.
