Rosa Canina

Common Names:
Hip Tree, Wild Briar, Dog-rose, Cynosbatos

Parts Used:
Ripe fruits (hips)

Description:

Rosa canina, commonly called Dog Rose, is a fast-growing deciduous shrub that can reach up to 3 meters (9 feet) tall and wide. It is native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia.

The plant blooms from June to July, and its fruits (called hips) ripen between October and December. Its flowers have both male and female parts and attract bees, flies, beetles, and butterflies.

Dog Rose grows well in different soil types — sandy, loamy, and clay — as long as the soil is well-drained. It prefers moist or wet conditions and can grow in partial shade or full sunlight. It tolerates strong winds but not salty seaside air.

Medicinal Uses:

• Petals, hips, and galls of the plant are used for their astringent, carminative (relieving gas), diuretic (promoting urine production), laxative, eye-soothing, and tonic properties.

• Rose hips (the fruits) are taken internally to treat:

  • Colds

  • Influenza

  • Minor infections

  • Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency)

  • Diarrhea

  • Gastritis (stomach inflammation)

• Rose hip syrup is added to medicines for its pleasant taste and to treat coughs.

• Distilled water from the plant acts as a gentle skin lotion.

• Seeds are traditionally used to expel intestinal worms (vermifuge).

Additional Benefits:

• Rosa canina is rich in vitamins, especially vitamin C, A, and E, and contains antioxidants, flavonoids, and essential fatty acids — quite rare for a fruit.

• Its fruits help boost immunity, improve digestion, and may help prevent or slow down the growth of certain cancers.

• Used in Bach Flower Remedies for feelings of resignation and apathy (a state of indifference or giving up).

• The fruit is often made into jams, syrups, and nutritional supplements, especially for babies and during times of food shortage or war.