The fruits of a flowering rose bush are called rose hips. The plant’s seed pods are these fruits. But are rose hips edible? I’ll be going through how rose hips need to be prepared, plus a range of ways that rose hips can be cooked and eaten.
Rose hips come in a range of colors, depending on the kind of rose you’re dealing with. But they usually have a reddish or orange tint.
We mostly prune roses to boost growth. You will yield more rose hips if you don’t prune your roses at the end of the season.
After the rose flower and its leaves have fallen in late Fall, rose hips are what is left on the tops of the stems.
Rose hips can be eaten raw, dried, or cooked. You can also use them to make tea, jam, syrup, or wine. Provided the rose hip has not been subjected to pesticides and is washed before consumption, then they can provide a boost of vitamin C. Ideally, trim the ends and remove the seeds before eating.
Let’s explore the numerous ways that you can consume rose hips to enjoy them as a snack or as an ingredient in other culinary delights.
Are rose hips edible – How to prepare and eat rose hips
As we’ve seen, rose hips are the fruit of the rose plant and they are completely edible.
The vitamin C in rose hips is water-soluble, which means that it’s easily absorbed by your body. This makes rose hips an excellent way to get a dose of Vitamin C, especially during winter when you’re more likely to get sick.
Eating raw rose hips
If you’re going to eat rose hips raw, or however you want to use rose hips, you’ll need to remove the seeds first.
To prepare rose hips, cut the hip in half and then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
Once the seeds are removed, you can eat the rose hips as is or at this point, you could consider adding them to other meals. a salad or smoothie, or even making rose hip jam.
Rose hips added to salads
To add rose hips to a salad, simply take the previously prepared and washed rose hips, then chop them up further into smaller pieces and add them to your favorite green salad.
Rose hips in smoothies
Rose hips can also be added to smoothies. Just prepare as the above guidelines for eating raw rose hips, and add a few chopped-up rose hips to your favorite smoothie recipe.
Rosehip jam
Making rose hip jam is a great way to use up a lot of rose hips at once. The jam can be used on toast, in yogurt, on cakes, or even on its own.
To make rose hip jam, start by boiling a pot of water. Add the rose hips and let them cook for about 15 minutes. Once they’re cooked, add sugar and lemon juice to taste. Let the jam cool and then store it in a jar in the fridge.
Rose hips are a great way to add a little extra flavor to your favorite recipes. Whether you’re adding them to a salad, smoothie, or jam, they’re sure to please. So go out and get some rose hips and start cooking!
Rosehip jellies
To make rose hip jelly, start by boiling a pot of water. Add the rose hips and let them cook for about 15 minutes. Once they’re cooked, sieve them so that you only have the jello remaining. Then, add sugar and lemon juice to taste. Let the jelly cool and then store it in a jar in the fridge.
Rose hip jelly is a great way to add a little extra flavor to your favorite cake recipes too.
Combining rose hips with other fruits
Rose hips are frequently combined with other fruits, such as apples or cranberries, for making jelly.
Remove the flower remnants and leaves from the rose hips to extract the juice for making jelly. Hips should be washed in cool water. In a pot, place the rose hips, cover with water, and cook for 15 minutes. Allow it to cool before straining it into a container with cheesecloth. A pound of rose hips yields around 2 cups of juice.
Dried rose hips
To dry your own rose hips, harvest them in the fall after the first frost. Cut off the stem and blossom end and slice in half.
Spread the hips out on baking trays and dry them in an oven or dehydrator set to 110-115° F until they are dry and brittle. Be prepared though, this could take 3+ hours. You could also air-dry rose hips in the sun. This usually takes a day in the hot sun, two days at most.
Once dried and cooled, store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Then simply eat it as a dried rose hip snack or add it with other dried fruit recipe ingredients.
Rose hip tea
Rose hips can also be used to make tea. To do this, follow a few simple instructions.
To 1 cup of boiling water, add 1/4 cup of fresh rose hips. Steep for 10-15 minutes, Before drinking, you’ll need to strain out the pulp. To get rid of all the little particles and seeds, use a coffee filter for this.
The tea is a little puckering on its own. A drop of honey and a couple of mint leaves can help with the taste.
Which rose to use for rose hip recipes
The ‘Hip’ is actually the rose’s fruit. And some types are larger than others. So If you’re looking for large rose hips to enjoy, then rose hips from the Rugosa rose are believed to be the biggest and best tasting hips.
Rugosa roses belong to Eastern Asia, where they thrive along the coast and in sandy environments.
They can be grown in North America, even though they are not native to the continent. Temperate climates, coastal regions, and sandy soils provide ideal growing conditions for them.
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How rose hips taste
Rose hips have a tangy taste. They are part of the apple family, so a rose hips taste is not too dissimilar to crab apples.
Tea is one of the most popular recipes with rose hips. If you’re new to rose hip tea, making a cup will give you a good sense of how it tastes.
When do rose hips become ripe?
Rose hips ripen after the flowers and leaves have withered in the early fall. The little berries can sometimes be seen even before the leaves fall. Pick your rose hips before the first strong frost.
They will not be harmed by a light frost. In fact, a light frost will bring out the hips’ flavor. The harsh cold, on the other hand, will kill them making them inedible.
Avoid rose hips that have been treated with pesticides. And avoid ones that look slightly blackened or damaged. Only choose the best specimens.
Rose hip side effects
It is necessary to remove all the seeds before eating the rose hips. The seeds of most species, including the popular rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa), are covered in irritating hairs that can cause skin and mucous membrane irritation. And the irritation follows you all the way to your stomach.
As a result, rose hips are known as “gratte-culs” (loosely translating to ‘butt scratchers’) in France, and “itchy bottom disease” in Amerindian cultures. You get the idea!
The fine hairs can also be crushed up and used as an itching powder, which is a classic prank. So, before you make that delicious family rosehip recipe you just discovered, remove the seeds… and everyone in the family will be spared any discomfort!
Rosehip supplements
If you want to get the most benefits from rose hips, it’s best to take them in supplement form.
Rose hip supplements are typically made from dried and pulverized rose hips, so they contain a higher concentration of nutrients than fresh or dried rose hips. Consult your doctor or pharmacist about available options and whether they are suitable for you to take.
Are rose hips edible ~ More roses help!
I hope this post has given you lots to consider. Roses just keep on giving, and this year I’m looking at focussing more efforts on using rose hips for recipes and ingredients. I’ll report back more once I’ve experimented!
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Hi, I’m Michael. My passion for roses was sparked a few years ago after visiting a dedicated community rose garden. So Rosehow.com represents my take, my learnings, and my help for anyone looking to grow, be proud of, and harvest roses.
