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Disclaimer: If you have used pesticides or other chemicals in the garden on or near your rose plant, do not even think about consuming any of its plant parts.
Flavorful FlowersRose flowers are commemorated in many different styles, cultures, and trends due to their beautiful colors, silky texture, and enchanting fragrance. They are used as decoration, garnish, infused into oils and soaps, dried into potpourris, and are also edible. They are utilized in the same way that many herbs are: petals are dried and infused into teas or used as flavor for liquors or syrups. They can also be candied or used as garnish or extra flavoring in both sweet and savory dishes. All rose petals are edible, but the best-tasting roses to use in culinary applications are the most fragrant ones.
Remove petals from their attachments and lay them out on a tray or drying rack, removing any dirt or debris by tapping them or simply brushing it off. Do not rinse rose petals, as getting them wet will lead them to wilt and brown before they have dried. They can be left out for a few days in a warm, well-ventilated space to dry or be placed in a dehydrator or oven set to the lowest setting (around 95 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal). Once petals are dried, they can be stored in an airtight container in a dry, cool, dark place away from sunlight. Dried rose petals are used in a number of ways, including steeped in tea, added to tinctures, oils, and syrups, or used to decorate cakes or other baked goods. When stored correctly, they have the potential to last for a year or more on the shelf. All in the HipsThe round fruits left behind after rose flowers have faded are round and typically orange to red in color (though they can be dark purple to black in some species). Most gardeners don’t ever see these fruits, as faded flower heads are typically trimmed off in an effort to encourage more blooms to form and to extend the flowering season later into the year. Fruits will begin to form after the flowers are pollinated in spring or early summer, and are ready to be harvested in late summer to fall. Did You Know?
Most species of Rose produce hips, as they are the way that seeds are developed, protected and distributed. However, the size, shape, and abundance of these hips varies greatly between different rose species. Species roses (wild roses), shrub roses, and rambler roses tend to produce the best hips. Species with simple flowers (open flowers that are easily pollinated) will produce the best, largest, and most flavorful hips. Most modern roses do not produce rose hips. Rose species and cultivars that are valued for the large, flavorful hips they produce at the end of the growing season include:
Rose hips are used in baked goods like breads and cakes, or made into pies, jam, jelly, marmalade, syrup, soup, tea, wine, or other beverages. They can be eaten raw, dried, or frozen once processed, or infused into a number of dishes. They have a tangy, sweet taste and are about ½ inch in diameter. If you’re just getting into rose hip culture, make sure to stop by the grocery store or local tea shop and pick up some rose hip tea. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the flavor of these unique fruits. Harvesting and Processing Rose Hips The best time to harvest rose hips is in late summer or fall, just after the first light frosts come and go, but before any hard frosts roll around. Hips will turn a nice bright red or orange, or in some cases purple or blackish, when they are ripe and ready to be picked. Using clean, sharpened gardening shears, remove the hips from the plant, placing them in a basket or other container to keep hands free while harvesting more. Once the harvest is complete, bring the hips into a clean workspace.
Once indoors, remove the stem and any flowering parts that remain attached. When working with rose hips, there are two methods used. The first is a more hands-on, time-intensive process, involving cutting the hips open lengthwise to reveal the seeds. Seeds are scraped out using a small spoon or the end of a butterknife, and then the hips are rinsed under cool water using a sieve to remove the hairs. Alternatively, they can be left whole, which cuts down on both processing time and reduces the chances that the person processing them will be exposed to the irritating inner hairs.
If hips are dried with seeds and hairs intact, they will need to be processed further. Add them to a food processor or blender, and pulse until they are broken down enough to be just a bit larger than the holes in a sieve. Then, add them to a sieve and shake it to filter these hairs out. Place the dried and processed hips into a sealable glass jar and store. Well-dried and responsibly-stored rose hips can last for over a year. Shoots and BudsAlthough not typically eaten, the young springtime shoots of Rose plants can be eaten (carefully in the case of species with sharp prickles). They are considered to be more of a famine or foraged food, as shoots are typically valued for their productive capacity (increased plant growth and flower production) rather than their culinary applications. They are peeled and then cooked as a vegetable. Another lesser-known way to process and consume a rose is by harvesting buds when they are still very small. At this stage, their small petals are tightly wrapped, and after some time spent pickling, they can be used as capers, similar to pickled Dandelions. After learning about the edibility of rose bushes, I may not get hungry every time I look at my climbing Eden, but I do see it in a different light. And I also now understand why the neighborhood squirrels seem so fond of the buds. Happy gardening! Resources and References
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AuthorA Master Gardener with a love for the outdoors, gardening, self sufficiency, and the environment. Archives
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