Rose hips are obtained from Rosa canina, a wild species of rose commonly called dog rose, briar rose and dogberry. The plant is a favorite garden ornamental due to its hardiness. In fact, the shrub can be found competing for light at the tops of trees many times its size throughout Europe, Asia and some parts of Africa.
The dog rose is also known for its unusual longevity among roses. The walls of The Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Hildesheim, Germany is reputedly host to one particularly tenacious specimen of dog rose bush that dates to the year 815. Also known as the Thousand-year Rose, it is believed to be the oldest living rose bush in the world.
