Written by
Anna
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Rose bushes produce marvellous fruit: rosehips. After the roses have finished flowering, it’s time for these rugged, robust characters that are an essential ingredient in any autumn bouquet. If you’re feeling peckish, pick a few to make tea, jam or Swedish rosehip soup. Most varieties are not only edible, they also have a medicinal effect. They boost your immune system and help counter nausea. They’re also used in medicines for disorders including arthritis and arthrosis. Obviously you shouldn’t start making your own rosehip medication - that’s best left to the experts. This touch of instant autumn can be found growing in Europe, North and South America and Asia.
Caring for rosehips
Life is very easy with these branches:
- Provide a clean vase and clean water at room temperature.
- Refresh the water every five days, and top it up regularly.
- If you want the fruit to dry out, don’t fill the vase with water.
- Don’t place the branches in full sun, near a heater, close to a fruit bowl or in a draught.
Colours and shapes
There are elongated, round and bottle-shaped rosehips. The colour of the fruit depends on the type of rose. You have the choice of red, black, purple or orange. They’re rugged and have a crown at the bottom. They’re filled with orange flesh and seeds, and carry you into autumn.
Symbolism
The rosehip is part of the rose, so the meaning should have something to do with love. Which it does. But it symbolises waiting for your true love. So it’s perfect for hip singletons.
Origin
The seeds of the rosehip were being eaten over 2000 years ago. How do we know that? A corpse who died more than two millennia ago was dug up in England with rosehips seeds in his long-decomposed stomach. Obviously the rose itself occurs in many old tales. The ancient Persians first cultivated this beautiful flower. The Romans soon used the rosehips for their medicinal properties.
