Wild Food Guide — 'R'

This is the description page for Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa) and includes a description as well as an image, if available and a selection of recipes from this site that relates to the wild foodstuff: Rugosa Rose.

The Rugosa Rose, Rosa rugosa, (also known as the Japanese Rose, Ramanas Rose, Beach Tomato, Sea Tomato, Saltspray Rose and Beach Rose) is a deciduous shrub that's a member of the Rosaceae (rose) family that's native to eastern Asia, in northeastern China, Japan, Korea and southeastern Siberia, where it grows on the coast, often on sand dunes. It is a suckering shrub which develops new plants from the roots and forms dense thickets 1–1.50 m tall with stems densely covered in numerous short, straight thorns 3–10 mm long. Like all wild roses it's stems are covered with small, sharp, hooked spines, which aid it in holding the thicket of plants together. The leaves are pinnate, 8–15cm long with 5-9 leaflets (though typically there are 7). The flowers, which develop in June from June through to September are 6–9cm diameter with five petals (for single roses and many more for double roses) and can vary from dark pink to white in colour. Once fertilized the flowers mature into a squat fruit, or hip about 2cm in diameter and 1cm inlength. Unlike many other roses Rosa rugosa can produce flowers and hips at one and the same time.

The petals and hips of the rugosa rose can be consumed, indeed the petals are highly aromatic and well worth gathering as they can be used in salads, can be crystallized in sugar and can be made into rose petal wine. Rose petals are also one of the standard flavourings of Turkish Delights. Rugosa Rose petals also make a very interesting jelly and can be made into jams if used with rhubarb or fruit such as greengages. Rose-petal jam is very popular in the Middle East and is generally eaten with yoghurt.

Rose hips have a very high vitamin C content and they can be used to make rose-hip syrup which was popularized during the Second World War when other sources of Vitamin C were scarce. Rose-hip syrup still represents one of the few examples of a wild foodstup resulting in a commercial product. You can still make rose-hip syrup at home however and it remains one of the simplest ways of removing the internal seeds of the rose-hip whose furry coating can be a digesive irritant. In the Middle Ages rose hips were even used as a dessert where the rose-hips were halved and the seeds and pith removed. The resulting skins were stored in an earthenwear pot until they were sufficiently soft to be passed throug a sieve. The resultant purée was then mixed with equal mass of sugar before being heated until the sugar melted. This was then used as a pie filling. Rose-hips can also be made into an infusion as rose-hip tea and can be converted into marmalade. Rugose Rose hips have a slightly more apple-scented note that dog rose hips and are often prized for culinary uses because of this.

Rugosa Rose is widely used as an ornamental plant, especially for borders and edging and it also hybridizes readily with other rose varieties and introduces pest resistance. As a result it has has been introduced to numerous areas of Europe and North America where it's frequently found growing wild or semi-wild.

Rosehip Purée
Wild Rosehip Soup
Rose Hip Drink Rose Hip Sorbet Rose and Almond Tansy