What Are Hips on a Rose?

Rose hips, the fruit of the rose plant, tend to get overlooked by many gardeners who usually grow rose bushes for the flowers, not the fruit. Rose hips have a variety of uses and resemble the crabapple in appearance. A typical rose bush might bear dozens of rose hips.

Description

Rose hips typically mature in late summer to early autumn. The fruit color can vary from golden-yellow to orange to red. Hips have a vase-like shape and some gardeners consider them an ornamental feature of the rose plant, along with the flower. Old garden roses, varieties created by cultivators in the 19th century, produce more showy hips than more modern 20th century varieties, according to Iowa State University Extension.

Edible

Wild animals feed on rose hips which are safe for human consumption as well. Rose hips have a high Vitamin C content and you can use them either fresh or dried. One of the most common use for the fruit is to make rose hip tea. You can also make jellies and jams out of rose hips. Always remove any seeds and hairs from rose hips before consumption. To dry the hips, cut them in half and place them in an oven set to low. Making rose hip tea is as simple as letting some dried hips boil in water and straining after five minutes.

Medicinal

Rose hips can reduce inflammation in the human body, making them helpful for people with inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The center advises that rose hip tea might help people with osteoarthritis. Native Americans also used rose hips for medicinal purposes, treating sore mouths with a salve -- and respiratory problems with a tea or syrup. Experts at the Creighton University Medical Center believe the significant amounts of Vitamin C in rose hips might account for its medicinal properties.

Harvest and Storage

The best time to harvest rose hips is after the first frost, advises "Old House Interiors" magazine. If the hips feel a little soft when you press them between your finger and thumb then they're ready for picking. The magazine also recommends removing the seeds and letting the hips dry completely before storage. After drying, storing them in an airtight container prolongs their shelf life. They will also last considerably longer if stored in a freezer rather than a refrigerator.

References

• University of Vermont Extension; Rose Hips; Dr. Leonerd Perry
• Iowa State University Extension; Roses have hips too!; Cindy Haynes; February 2010
• American Indian Health and Diet Project; Hugh Murphy
• University of Rhode Island; Beach Rose (Rosa rugosa);1998
• "Old House Interiors"; Roses for Other Reasons; Vicki Johnson; December/January 2001
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Osteoarthritis

Resources

• Creighton University Medical Center: Medicinal Plants