Rosehip is a plant widely used in both official and traditional medicine. It has found application in the food industry and cooking. Rosehip flowers and leaves are used as a substitute for black tea. It is planted in parks and near houses as an ornamental plant and honey plant.
Types of rose hips
The following species can be found in the CIS:
- wrinkled rose hip – Rosa rugosa Thunb.,
- dog rose – Rosa canina L.,
- needle hips – Rosa acicularis L.,
- prickly rose hip – Rosa spinosissima L.,
- cinnamon rosehip,
- hairy rosehip – Rosa villosa L.,
- Daurian rosehip – Rosa davurica Pall.,
- loose rosehip,
- Albert's rosehip,
- Begger's rosehip – Rosa beggerana Schrenk.,
- Fedchenko rosehip – Rosa fedtschenkoana Regel. and etc.
The most widespread is the cinnamon rosehip, which is most often used by official medicine.
Latin name: Rosa cinnamomea L.
Other names: May rose hips, cinnamon rose, rose hips, rose hips, rooster berries, sworborina.
Botanical description of rose hips
Cinnamon rose hips are a shrub up to 2.5-3 m high. The branches are thin and shiny. The color is brownish-brown or brownish-red. The spines are few, small, curved downwards, usually located in twos at the base of the leaves. There are spines and bristles.
Rosehip leaves are unpaired, consisting of 7-9 lateral leaflets. The leaves are thin, oblong, narrowed towards the base, twisted at the top, have denticles along the edge, covered with bluish-green hairs, the network of veins is very protruding.
Rosehip flowers are arranged singly or collected 2-3 in a few umbrella-shaped inflorescences. The color is pink, pale or dark red. Diameter 3-5, up to 6, cm. The aroma of rosehip is delicate and pleasant.
Rosehips are small (up to 1.5 cm in diameter), round or oblong, smooth, glabrous, fleshy, and contain numerous seeds (fruit-nuts). The sepals are retained at the top. Color orange, orange-red or red. The inner walls of the fruit are covered with many very sharp bristly hairs.
Rose hips bloom in May-July, the fruits ripen in August-September and remain on the branches until winter.
Rose hips propagate by seeds, suckers and green cuttings. It begins to bear fruit at 2-3 years of age, reaching a maximum at 10-12 years.
Advantages of cultivated varieties of rose hips
Initially, wild rose, moving from the wild to a garden plot, did not have such a choice of varieties. Now the species and varietal diversity is so great that it is sometimes difficult to make a choice. Cultivated rose hips have a number of advantages over their wild counterparts:
- larger fruits (berries) have a lot of healing properties and are used in cooking and medicine;
- brightly colored and large berries are also a decorative element, decorating autumn bushes and enlivening the landscape;
- bushes are decorative in any season - in spring and summer they diversify the landscape with bright greenery, diluted with the lights of flowers, in autumn flowers replace bright fruits, and in winter the lace of branches looks organically against the background of white snow;
- caring for the crop is simple and does not require much effort;
- the root system, powerful and strong, helps, if necessary, prevent erosion of the soil, and lush bushes will hide the flaws of the site;
- a large selection of varieties and varieties with different flower colors and bush sizes.
Habitat
Cinnamon rose hips are widespread in most of the CIS. It can be found in the European part - with the exception of the Baltic countries and the Black Sea region of Russia, in Western Siberia - with the exception of the Far North, in Eastern Siberia - in the Angara-Sayan region, in the Yenisei region the plant is rare, as well as in Central Asia.
Rose hips grow in sparse mixed and deciduous forests, among shrubs, along the edges, clearings, meadows, along ravines and mountain gorges, on rocky slopes, preferring the banks of rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. There are both single plants and groups (thickets).
Planting rose hips in open ground
What time to plant
It has been noticed that if rosehip is planted in the fall (October–November), it will take root much better than when planted in spring. But if there is such a need, then the plant can be planted in the spring. The best place for planting will be a sunny area located on a hill. When choosing a place for planting, you should remember that the root system of this crop goes into the deep layers of the soil; therefore, it should not be planted in saline, low-lying or wetlands, or where the groundwater is shallow. If you do plant rosehip in such a place, it will soon wither. If the soil on the site is acidic, then 12 months before the planting day it should be limed.
This shrub can be used both in group plantings and as a single plant. If you need to disguise an unsightly outbuilding or compost heap, then a rose hip bush is very suitable for this purpose. Also, such thorny bushes are used for planting around the perimeter of the garden. It should be remembered that this is a cross-pollinated plant, so the bushes should be planted not very far from each other.
How to plant rose hips
It is best to use two-year-old seedlings for planting. Before planting in open ground, the main roots should be shortened to 0.25 m, while all stems should be cut at a height of about 10 centimeters. If the site was prepared in advance and all the necessary fertilizers were added to it, then the depth and width of the planting hole should be approximately 0.3 m. If this was not done, then the depth of the hole is increased to 0.4–0.5 m, and width - up to 0.5–0.8 m, during planting of seedlings they are covered with soil combined with humus (10 kilograms per bush), you also need to add from 30 to 50 grams of potassium salt, from 150 to 200 grams of superphosphate and from 60 to 70 grams of ammonium nitrate. When planting a hedge, the distance between seedlings should be about half a meter. In other cases, the distance between plants should be about 100 cm. In order for rose hips to cross-pollinate normally, it is recommended to plant bushes of different varieties (at least three) on the site.
Before planting, the roots of the plant should be dipped into a clay mash, after which they are placed in a prepared hole so that the root collar of the plant is buried 5–8 centimeters into the soil. After this, the hole is filled with nutritious soil combined with fertilizer. When the bush is planted, the surface of the soil needs to be compacted a little, and then it is watered, using 8 to 10 liters of water. When the liquid is completely absorbed into the soil, its surface must be covered with a layer of mulch (sawdust, humus or peat chips).
PLANTING ROSE HIP. ROOTSTOCK.
Collection and preparation. How to dry rose hips
Fruits, seeds, roots, leaves, flowers, and branches of the plant are harvested for medicinal purposes.
Rosehip fruits (berries) are harvested when they acquire a characteristic color for the species, but are slightly unripe. In this form it is easier to collect them without fear of crushing them with your fingers. Rosehip leaves that fall on the fruit are not thrown away, but are used for brewing. The collection must be completed before frost, since in this case, when dried, the fruits lose most of their vitamins. Fresh berries can be stored for up to 3-4 days.
Dry the raw materials by spreading them in a thin layer in a well-ventilated area, remembering to stir them periodically. You can use a gas oven for these purposes, drying at a temperature not exceeding 40°C. Shelf life – 2 years. This is the best way to preserve rose hips for the winter.
Rosehip leaves and flowers are harvested during flowering. Shelf life: leaves – 2 years, flowers – one year.
Rosehip roots are dug in late autumn, cleared of soil, but not washed, cut into pieces and air dried. Shelf life – 2 years.
Not all types of rose hips have a high vitamin composition. When collecting fruits for this purpose, select species with a vitamin C content of at least 1%. This is the rosehip of Albert, Begger, Fedchenko, spiny, loose, cinnamon, Daurian, wrinkled.
Dog rose with a small content of vitamins is used to make the drug “Holosas”, which has a choleretic effect. This species is widespread in the southern regions of Ukraine, Moldova and the Caucasus. Its distinctive feature is that the sepals bend down after flowering and fall off long before the fruits ripen. That's why dog rose does not have a hole at the top of the berries.
Origin and distribution area
It is believed that the birthplace of rose hips is the Himalayas and the rocky part of Iran. But today, thanks to their unpretentiousness and winter hardiness, its various species have spread widely across all continents, except the Arctic.
The most favorable growing conditions are the Mediterranean. But from the Arctic Circle to the Equator, on both American continents, in Australia and New Zealand, rose hips of various types are found everywhere. In mountainous areas it grows at an altitude of 2000 - 2200 m, and in more southern, tropical countries, it can grow at around 4 thousand m above sea level.
Bush forms of rose hips grow singly or in small groups. It is found on the edges of forests of all types, where there is a lot of sun. It grows well in undergrowth, as well as on the banks of lakes, rivers, along the outskirts of meadow lands, and on the sea coast. He likes to settle in dry ravines and sparse forests. There are species that form dense thickets in steppe and forest-steppe areas and can even inhabit deserts.
Chemical composition
Cinnamon rose hips are the champion among fruit and berry plants in terms of variety and quantity of vitamins. It contains the maximum amount of vitamins P and C (10-18%) valuable for the body. It contains 10 times more ascorbic acid (vitamin C) than black currants, 50 times more than lemons and 100 times more than apples. One to three rose hips can provide an adult’s daily requirement for this vitamin.
Rosehip vitamins are also represented by carotene (12-18 mg%), vitamins B1, B2, K, E, PP. Macro- and microelements include iron, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. In addition, sugars (up to 24%) are found in rose hips - glucose and fructose, pectin substances (up to 4%), citric and malic acids (up to 2%), flavone glycosides, kaempferol, quercetin, tannins and coloring substances, essential oil.
Rosehip leaves are not deprived of vitamins either. They contain up to 1.5% ascorbic acid. Essential rose oil is obtained from the petals of rosehip flowers.
Rosehip leaves, branches and roots contain up to 4.5% tannins.
The seeds produce valuable rosehip oil, rich in carotene and vitamin E, containing linoleic, linolenic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids.
Characteristic features of the bush
Rosehip is a perennial shrub; botanists classify it as a member of the Rosaceae genus. The shrub plant grows from 1 to 3 m. In the northern regions, the leaves fall off for the winter, and in the southern regions evergreen forms are found.
The branches usually have curved or straight thorns and numerous straight spines. Flowering shoots usually lack thorns.
In general, thorns are a distinctive feature of this plant, which gave it its name. They appeared as a result of evolutionary changes and the protection of rose hips from being eaten by mammals and herbivores. In turn, some of the animals managed to adapt to eating branches with thorns. For example, camels and many ruminants can easily cope with this.
Rose hips have flowers whose size ranges from 3 to 8 cm. The flowers usually have five petals on a small stalk with narrow, lanceolate bracts. When the berries ripen, depending on the type, the flowers either remain on the ripened fruit or fall off. Rosehip petals are colored in shades of red, pink, purple, and white. They grow solitary or collected in small inflorescences. Some varieties have very fragrant inflorescences, but occasionally they are completely odorless.
The bushes bloom in May, some species until July. Flowering occurs on two-year-old branches. Rosehip roots are very long, growing to a depth of 2-3 m. They are used as medicinal raw materials, as well as for preparing decoctions and infusions.
Topic of the day: The health benefits and harms of sea buckthorn. There are more vitamins than in rose hips!
Medicinal and beneficial properties of rose hips
Cinnamon rose hips have the following properties:
- antisclerotic,
- capillary strengthening,
- hematopoietic,
- choleretic,
- diuretic,
- astringent (roots, branches, leaves, seeds)
- antiseptic (roots),
- anti-inflammatory,
- regenerating,
- tonic,
- restorative,
- adaptogenic, etc.
Rosehip cinnamon. Therapeutic effects on the body
Rosehip is a plant that has numerous beneficial and medicinal properties and a wide range of effects on the human body, but it should be remembered that plants are also medicines, many of which have a strong effect, and some are poisonous, and before you start taking them, you should ALWAYS consult with a herbalist or doctor you trust. The information about rose hips given below is for informational purposes only.
Cardiovascular diseases
The medicinal properties of rose hips have proven themselves well as a means for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It has been clinically proven that regular consumption of fruits reduces cholesterol levels in the blood and prevents its deposition on the walls of blood vessels. Based on this, they are indicated for atherosclerosis. Also for these purposes, the use of pharmaceutical preparations “Karotolin” and “Rose hip oil” is recommended.
Rose hips have a beneficial effect on blood vessels, strengthening them and reducing permeability, and help normalize capillary circulation. Aqueous extracts are recommended for use in hypertension, especially with impaired salt metabolism. Alcohol tincture of rose hips helps with low blood pressure. Also, plant preparations relieve headaches.
The fruits in the form of a decoction are also useful for heart diseases. For these purposes, not only rose hips are used, but also a decoction of the roots, which also helps with hypertension.
Brain diseases
Based on the effect of rosehip preparations on blood vessels, herbalists often recommend them for the treatment of vascular diseases of the brain.
Gastrointestinal diseases
Rosehip has great benefits for the gastrointestinal tract. Fruit preparations have a beneficial effect on it and are included in many preparations for the treatment of this type of disease. They are used for low acidity of gastric juice, chronic anacid and achilic gastritis, as they help eliminate inflammatory processes in the stomach.
Pharmacy preparations “Karotolin” and “Rosehip Oil” show good results for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers (microenemas), recommended for increased secretion and acidity of gastric juice.
A decoction of rosehip branches or roots is used as an astringent for diarrhea, dysentery, and bloody diarrhea. Branches and leaves help eliminate stomach cramps and flatulence. The roots are used as an anthelmintic.
Colds and bronchopulmonary diseases
Rose hips have also been used to treat diseases of the throat, bronchi and lungs. First of all, it is a highly effective remedy for strengthening the immune system and increasing the body’s defenses, which is especially valuable in the autumn-winter and winter-spring periods as a preventive measure for various viral diseases.
For colds and flu, rosehip decoction and tea are recommended for use, which also help cope with cough. Rosehip flowers are also used for these purposes. Pharmaceutical preparations “Karotolin” and “Rose hip oil” are used to lubricate the mucous membrane of the nose and pharynx, as well as in the form of inhalations for a runny nose and pharyngitis.
For ozena, a cotton swab soaked in rosehip oil is inserted into the nasal cavity. Duration of the procedure is 20-30 minutes.
The benefits of rose hips also extend to the lungs. Plant preparations are used for chronic and acute pneumonia; they have a good effect in tuberculosis, especially with hemoptysis.
Rose hips are part of Traskova's anti-asmatic medicine.
Liver and gallbladder diseases
The beneficial and medicinal properties of rose hips are used by official and traditional medicine to treat all liver diseases, as well as for preventive purposes to improve the condition of this organ. Fruit preparations are used as a mild choleretic agent for cholecystitis.
The pharmaceutical drug "Holosas", created back in the 30s of the last century, has not lost its relevance for the treatment of chronic diseases of the liver and biliary tract, hepatitis, cholecystitis.
An infusion of the shell of rose hips without seeds and internal hairs, as well as a decoction of seeds or roots, are an effective means for crushing and removing any stones in the body, including those in the gall bladder.
Metabolic diseases
Herbal medicine uses the benefits of rose hips to treat various diseases associated with metabolic disorders, including diabetes.
Blood diseases
Rose hips, rich in iron and vitamins, are a good remedy for the treatment of iron deficiency and other anemias, as well as for their prevention.
In addition, the berries are used for some blood diseases, such as hemophilia, and an infusion of milk is used for leukemia. Rosehip decoction also helps with various bleedings (nasal, pulmonary, uterine, etc.)
Bladder and kidney diseases
The benefits of rose hips (fruits) have been proven for the treatment of various diseases of the kidneys and bladder, such as cystitis, nephritis, urolithiasis, etc. Also, for cystitis, they drink a decoction of the roots.
For women
Pharmacy preparations “Karotolin” and “Rose hip oil” are used in gynecology, as well as for the treatment of cracked nipples.
In addition, rose water and rose toilet vinegar, used in cosmetology, are obtained from the flowers of the plant.
For men
Men can discover the use of rose hips in the form of a decoction of the fruit as a means to enhance potency.
Eye diseases
It is effective to use the medicinal properties of rose hips in the form of a decoction of the fruits orally for eye diseases accompanied by minor hemorrhages. Also, a decoction or infusion of flowers is used in the form of lotions for conjunctivitis, as an anti-inflammatory and sedative.
For the whole body
The healing and healing role of rose hips for the human body is invaluable. Fruits contain a large number of vitamins, macro- and microelements, as well as other biologically active substances that are important for the normal functioning of the body. Therefore, both official and traditional medicine consider rose hips to be the best remedy for vitamin deficiency and hypovitaminosis, as well as for their prevention.
Rosehip is a natural powerful immunostimulant given to us by nature. It is used as a prophylactic agent during viral diseases. It increases the body's resistance to harmful environmental influences.
The fruits have a beneficial effect on most organs and systems of the body, stimulate the functioning of the endocrine glands, and normalize metabolism, including carbohydrate metabolism. They will bring great benefits to both sick and healthy people. Rosehip preparations are especially indicated for children of all ages, as well as elderly people whose bodies are burdened by many age-related diseases.
Rosehip should be taken daily by people engaged in heavy physical and mental labor, as well as when overworked, to restore performance.
Berries are prescribed for chronic and acute infectious diseases, for patients in the pre- and postoperative period, after suffering serious illnesses.
A decoction of rosehip flowers is used for hypovitaminosis and general weakness.
Dosage forms
Rosehip decoction (fruit)
1 tbsp. Pour 200 ml of rose hips into an enamel bowl. hot water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat (or water bath) for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, insulate and let steep for 45 minutes. Strain, squeeze out the raw materials. Bring the resulting broth to its original volume using boiled water.
To obtain greater benefits from rose hip decoction, it should be prepared in the evening and left to infuse until the morning.
Take half a glass 2-3 times a day after meals.
Rosehip infusion (fruit). Rose hip tea
2 tbsp. Grind dried rose hips using a coffee grinder, pour half a liter of boiling water, cover with a lid, insulate and leave for 4-5 hours. Strain through 2 layers of gauze.
Drink half a glass 3 times a day before meals. You can add sugar or honey for taste. Used as a vitamin remedy.
Rosehip tincture
100 gr. Grind dried rose hips (fruits) using a coffee grinder, pour in half a liter of high-quality vodka. Cover the container tightly with a lid and leave in a dark place at room temperature for a week, remembering to shake periodically. Strain through 2 layers of gauze, squeeze out the raw materials.
For hypotension, take 20-25 drops three times a day before meals.
Flower decoction
10 gr. pour 200 ml of rosehip flowers. water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, insulate and leave for an hour. Strain, squeeze out the raw materials.
Drink 0.25 tbsp 2-3 times a day, and also use it to wash the eyes.
Leaf infusion
1 tbsp. pour 250 ml of rosehip leaves. boiling water, cover, wrap and leave until cool. Strain.
Take 2 tbsp. 3-4 times a day.
Indications for use. Atherosclerosis, diarrhea (antibacterial), colic and gastralgia (painkiller), malaria, as a diuretic.
Branch decoction
3 tbsp. Finely chopped young rosehip branches, pour half a liter of water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, insulate and let sit for an hour. Strain, bring the resulting broth with boiled water to its original volume.
Take 30 ml. 3-4 times a day before meals.
Indications for use. Diarrhea, dyspepsia, colic, rheumatism, paralysis.
Root decoction
1 tbsp. pour 250 ml of crushed rosehip roots. water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, insulate and let steep for 2 hours. Strain, squeeze out the raw materials, bring the resulting broth to its original volume using boiled water.
Drink 0.5 tbsp. 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 7-10 days.
Indications for use. Stones in the kidneys, bladder, pain in the heart, as an astringent for diarrhea.
Rose hip. Contraindications and harm
Rose hips are a plant that has a wide range of applications, both in official and folk medicine, but in order for it to bring only benefits, it is necessary to take into account the possible harm of rose hips.
Rosehip berry preparations should not be taken for thrombophlebitis, as well as circulatory failure. They are also contraindicated for endocarditis (inflammation of the inner lining of the heart). People with high acidity of gastric juice should be careful when consuming berries, especially if they have gastritis.
Long-term and uncontrolled use of rosehip roots can lead to constipation.
After drinking rosehip syrup, you may experience bloating and rumbling in the stomach. In this case, it should be consumed with dill, parsley or celery.
The acids contained in rose hips can destroy tooth enamel. Therefore, after each use of fruit preparations, you should thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water or warm soda water.
No matter how beneficial rosehip is, nevertheless, before people with severe chronic diseases, pregnant women and children start taking it, they should consult with a herbalist or a doctor you trust.
Sources:
- G. Sviridonov. Forest garden.
- L.G. Dudchenko, V.V. Krivenko. Healing food plants.
- I.N. Putyrsky, V. Prokhorov. Universal encyclopedia of medicinal plants.
- Lavrenova G.V., Lavrenov V.K. Encyclopedia of medicinal plants. Volume 2.
- Rim Akhmedov. Plants are your friends and foes.
- Wikipedia
- Rose hip dishes
