Rose Hips

Rosa spp

Rose hips are the fruit of the rose flower. The size and shape of the hip will vary by species and some of the fancier varieties don't produce much in the way of hips at all. Rosa rugosa produces big meaty hips (though the shrub itself is rather weedy) and many wild varieties produce tiny hips that look like little red beads,

Rosehip syrup was used to fight scurvy during the food shortages of WWII in Britain.

Rose hips are tricky to eat fresh because they are full of seeds coated with fine, sticky, irritating hairs. With the very small ones, you can just kind of scrape the skin off with your teeth and discard the seedy bit. For larger rose hips, you can cut them in half and scrape out the seeds and hairs.

Rosehips make a wonderful tea, fresh or dried. They should be simmered for about 15 minutes and strained through a coffee filter. I like to crush them first, to get all the goodness I can out of them. I put the hips and water in the blender for a few spins before pouring them into the pot to simmer. I think it tastes a bit like fruity lemonade. I like to make fresh rosehip tisane and freeze it in cubes for later use. For colds, I like to combine rosehips, lemongrass, and mullein in a hot tea.

Rosehip jelly and rosehip syrup are also quite nice.

Rose hip seeds contain a lovely oil for the skin. I have heard that it is a natural sunscreen as well as anti-aging properties, but I don't know the truth of that. The entire hip can be crushed and extracted into the carrier oil of your choice to produce a daily skin oil, or combine it with other ingredients to make a cream or lotion. You want to make sure that the seed is dry and crushed so that the seed is exposed because the seed is loaded with vitamin E and the skin is loaded with vitamin C. The resulting oil should be strained through muslin or a coffee filter, because the seed is surrounded by tiny hairs that can be irritating.

Sprigs of wild rosehips are quite lively and can be dried and tucked into wreaths, or the hips can strung on a string to make a lovely garland. Use these to decorate a bedroom, as rosehips placed near a bed are said to ward off nightmares. Or decorate gathering areas of the house to encourage the sort of peace and harmony that comes from everyone being on the same page, mutual respect and working toward a common goal.

Rosehips corresponds to the planet Jupiter, though roses correspond to Venus. This happens sometimes. You can use rosehips for Venus applications when some extra inner strength and confidence is called for. The hips can be worn on a string or carried to attract the sort of love that comes from respect. Of course, rosehips make wonderful beauty potions too.

Also, use rose hips for general luck and abundance.

Rosehips are rich in Vitamins C, A, K and E as well as Calcium, Magnesium and Manganese.

Correspondences
Element(s): - -
Planet(s): Jupiter Venus
Zodiac Sign: - -
Season: Autumn
Sabbat: -
Deities:

Gender: Masculine

health, protection, abundance, strength, confidence, luck, respect, mutual respect, cooperation

Recipes that contain Rose Hips

Notes from the Test Kitchen

Tell us about your experiments and experiences with this magical food.

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