Rosehips or rose hips are the fruits of various species of wild, domesticated and ornamental roses. In the UK, these fruits are traditionally used in jams, jellies and marmalades, but are also made into syrups, cordials and herbal teas.
In other parts of Europe, they’re also used to make hedgerow wine and mead, and even fruit brandy. In Sweden, rose hip soup is known as nyponsoppa. Rose hips are also the central ingredient of cockta, a fruity non-alcoholic drink from Slovenia.
The vibrant colour and aromatic qualities of rose hips means they are also used in handicrafts and as an ingredient in home fragrances, including scented candles and oils. Their nutritional value has also made them an important traditional remedy. Wild rose hip fruits are particularly rich in vitamin C, and they also contain the carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and lycopene, as well as essential amino acids. Some studies have even suggested that they can reduce arthritis pain.
Roses are thorny plants with slightly waxy, dark green leaves. Both a wild and domesticated plant, they grow into shrubs or act as climbers which are often tied to wires on walls or over arches. Most wild varieties of rose, including the dog rose, have small, hard fruits that are usually round or torpedo-shaped and red or black in colour. However, the fruits of cultivated rose species can vary as much as the flowers. Some are orange coloured and about the size of a crab apple, while others are much closer to the wild dog rose, with hard, narrow, red hips. The Rosa rugosa or Japanese rose has large thick hips, which resemble a slightly flattened tomato with a darker skin.
Wild roses can be found in hedgerows, amongst woodland fringes and on disused land. Some rose species, such as the burnet rose or Rosa pimpinellifolia are tough enough to thrive in maritime climates. Rosa rugosa is often used in municipal planting schemes, making them a good urban edible. Landscapers prize these hardy plants, as they are very disease-resistant and the thorns act as an impenetrable barrier. As such, you’ll typically find them in everything from supermarket and hospital car parks to the follower beds around housing schemes, as well as in municipal parks or on retail estates.
Rose hips begin to form after pollination of flowers in spring or early summer, ripening in late summer through autumn. The scarlet red hips are easy to spot and last until the first hard frosts of winter turn them into mush.
Cut a rosehip open and you’ll notice its seeds are coated in course, irritant hairs. In days gone by, these hairs were used as itching powder and schoolchildren would use them to play pranks on their classmates. Unlike nettle or insect bites, these hairs are not irritant due to a chemical reaction or histamine response. Instead, they are pointed and stiff and rub much like a woolly jumper on bare skin.
In parts of rural Europe, parents tell their children to suck on rosehips, as this extracts the vitamins without consuming the irritant hairs. In practice the rosehip would need to be in the mouth for some time for this method to be effective. The soft flesh of the large Rosa rugosa hip make a much better snack, as it is possible to nibble some of the thick outer flesh without getting a mouthful of the seeds.
You can actually make a tea from fresh or dried rosehips without removing the hairy seeds. Cover the hips with boiling water and infuse for five or more minutes, or better still simmer the hips in a little hot water. The taste is very mild, so it is best to use a good tablespoon of hips per cup. For extra flavour add herbs like thyme and rosemary plus a little lemon juice.
However, to get most out of the rosehip you really do need to deal with those hairs. The simplest way to do this is to simmer the fruits until they are softened, then squeeze them through a fine cloth, such as a jam bag or a piece of muslin. This remaining liquor can be used in sweet or savoury dishes. A few tablespoons will add an extra piquancy and vitamin hit to almost any sauce or soup. Earthy flavours such as beetroot lend themselves particularly well to a little rosehip liquor. To make rosehip syrup, dissolve some sugar in the liquor and use in fruit tarts, pies and puddings.
This excellent jelly makes use of two abundant autumn ingredients. It will keep through the winter and makes a superb addition to a warming morning porridge or spread on crackers and crispbreads. If you don’t have the patience to let the jelly drip out overnight, you can squeeze out the contents of the jam bag/muslin cloth, but this will result in a cloudy rather than clear liquid.
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