Herbs - Rosehips

🌹 Rosehips – Wild Fruit with a Tangy Twist

2 comments · June 2025

Rosehips – The Forgotten Fruit of the Forest
Latin Name: Rosa canina (commonly)
Also Known As: Dog Rose, Wild Rose Fruit, Rose Haws

🌱 Botanical Source

Rosehips are the bright red or orange fruits of the wild rose, forming after the petals fall and ripening in late summer through autumn. Among the most commonly harvested is the fruit of the Dog Rose (Rosa canina), native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa but naturalized across much of Canada and the northern U.S.

The hips are typically dried whole or cut and sifted after the inner seeds and hairs are removed. At Foothills Naturals, we offer both whole rosehips and cut/sifted options — perfect for tea, syrups, preserves, and body care.

📖 History & Traditional Uses

Rosehips have been collected by humans since antiquity — as both food and medicine.

• In Europe, rosehip tea was a traditional household remedy and a key wartime source of nourishment during food shortages.

• In Indigenous North American traditions, hips were valued as trail food and a winter source of nourishment and energy.

• In traditional folk practices, they were preserved in syrups and honey, or simmered into decoctions to “warm the blood” in colder months.

Historical sources: Grieve’s Modern Herbal, The Complete Herbal by Nicholas Culpeper, USDA Ethnobotanical Database

✨ Modern Applications

Today, rosehips are prized for their vivid colour, tart flavour, and natural vitamin content. They’re used in:

• Herbal infusions and decoctions

• Syrups and cordials

• Jams, jellies, fruit leathers

• Facial masks and scrubs

• Culinary: in baked goods, marinades, and fermented beverages

🧪 Nutritional & Functional Snapshot

Rosehips are known to contain:

• Vitamin C (notably in fresh form)

• Flavonoids (rutin, quercetin)

• Pectin and natural fruit acids

• Carotenoids (lycopene, beta-carotene)

⚠️ While historically associated with immune support, Canadian regulations do not allow health claims unless licensed. All usage is for cultural, culinary, or educational purposes.

🔧 How to Use Whole Rosehips

Whole Rosehip Decoction (Long Simmered Tea)

• Rinse hips briefly

• Simmer 1–2 tbsp in 2 cups of water for 20–30 minutes

• Strain well through muslin or fine mesh

• Add honey, cinnamon, or lemon to taste

Best enjoyed warm in winter, or iced with hibiscus and mint in summer.

Rosehip Syrup Base

• 1 cup whole rosehips

• 4 cups water

• Simmer until reduced by half

• Strain and combine 1:1 with honey or maple syrup

• Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks

Use over yogurt, pancakes, or in sparkling water as a tart botanical cordial.

🔧 How to Use Cut/Sifted Rosehips

Quick Rosehip Tea

• 1–2 tsp cut rosehips

• 1 cup boiling water

• Steep 10–15 minutes

• Strain and enjoy (no need to simmer)

Often blended with hibiscus, lemon balm, or ginger.

Herbal Jam Base (Pulp Version)

• Simmer 1/2 cup cut rosehips in 1.5 cups water for 20 minutes

• Mash, strain, and combine with applesauce or cooked pear

• Sweeten and spice to taste

• Store in fridge and enjoy within 1 week

🥣 Other Culinary Ideas

• Add to homemade granola or energy balls

• Use in muffins, quick breads, or fruit crisps

• Rehydrate and blend into smoothie bases

• Steep into vinegar or mead for seasonal infusions

🧴 Topical & Skincare Uses

Rosehip Facial Steam

• Add a handful of rosehips and dried petals to a bowl of hot water

• Drape towel over head and steam 5–10 min

• Finish with cool splash or toner

Gentle Skin Exfoliant (Powdered)

• Blend dried rosehips to a fine powder

• Mix 1 tsp with honey or yogurt

• Apply gently to skin, then rinse

Rosehip powder may be mildly acidic — always patch test.

⚠️ Cautions & Considerations

• Seeds & hairs in whole hips can irritate if consumed without straining

• Not a source of stable vitamin C once dried or heat-processed — treat as culinary

• Allergy potential exists for those sensitive to roses or rosaceae family members

🌹 Fun Facts & Cultural Notes

• During WWII, children in the UK were sent to collect wild rosehips for government-made syrup

• Rosehips were once used to flavour mead and cider in Europe

• The name "dog rose" comes from the Latin rosa canina, once believed to cure bites from rabid dogs

📚 Suggested Pairings

• Teas: Combine with hibiscus, orange peel, lemongrass

• Preserves: Cook with apple, rhubarb, or cranberry

• Body care: Pair powdered rosehip with clay, oat flour, or calendula