Dog Rose
Rosa canina
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
Rosa canina is a deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from October to December. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies), Apomictic (reproduce by seeds formed without sexual fusion). The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
Height (m): 3
Where it is found
Hedges, scrub, woods, roadsides, banks etc.
Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa and southwest Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Belarus, Bosnia, Britain, Bulgaria, Chile, Czech Republic, Europe*, Georgia, Greece, Haiti, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Macedonia, Moldova, Morocco, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Romania, Slovakia, South America, Spain, Tasmania, Turkey, USA, Uzbekistan,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Fruit - raw or cooked. It can be used in making delicious jams, syrups etc. The syrup is used as a nutritional supplement, especially for babies. The fruit can also be dried and used as a tea. Frost softens and sweetens the flesh. The fruit is up to 30mm in diameter, but there is only a thin layer of flesh surrounding the many seeds. Some care has to be taken when eating this fruit, see the notes above on known hazards. The seed is a good source of vitamin E, it can be ground and mixed with flour or added to other foods as a supplement. Be sure to remove the seed hairs. The dried leaves are used as a tea substitute. A coffee substitute according to another report. Petals - raw or cooked. The base of the petal may be bitter so is best removed. Eaten as a vegetable in China. The petals are also used to make an unusual scented jam.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 3
The petals, hips and galls are astringent, carminative, diuretic, laxative, ophthalmic and tonic. The hips are taken internally in the treatment of colds, influenza, minor infectious diseases, scurvy, diarrhoea and gastritis. A syrup made from the hips is used as a pleasant flavouring in medicines and is added to cough mixtures. A distilled water made from the plant is slightly astringent and is used as a lotion for delicate skins. The seeds have been used as a vermifuge. The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Resignation' and 'Apathy'. The fruit of many members of this genus is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers. Ascorbic acid in Dog Rose shells (vitamin C, 0.2 to 2.4%).
Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Bach: Plants used in the Bach flower remedies.
Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.
Carminative: Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Laxative: Stimulates bowel movements in a fairly gentle manner.
Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Vermifuge: Expels and kills internal parasites.
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating: 4
Plants make a dense and stock-proof hedge, especially when trimmed.
Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Hedge: Hedge
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Succeeds in most soils. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a circumneutral soil and a sunny position with its roots in the shade. When grown in deep shade it usually fails to flower and fruit. Succeeds in wet soils but dislikes water-logged soils or very dry sites. Tolerates maritime exposure. The fruit attracts many species of birds, several gall wasps and other insects use the plant as a host A very polymorphic species, it is divided into a great number of closely related species by some botanists. The leaves, when bruised, have a delicious fragrance. The flowers are also fragrant. Grows well with alliums, parsley, mignonette and lupins. Garlic planted nearby can help protect the plant from disease and insect predation. Grows badly with boxwood. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.
Propagating it: Seed. Rose seed often takes two years to germinate. This is because it may need a warm spell of weather after a cold spell in order to mature the embryo and reduce the seedcoat. One possible way to reduce this time is to scarify the seed and then place it for 2 - 3 weeks in damp peat at a temperature of 27 - 32°c (by which time the seed should have imbibed). It is then kept at 3°c for the next 4 months by which time it should be starting to germinate. Alternatively, it is possible that seed harvested 'green' (when it is fully developed but before it has dried on the plant) and sown immediately will germinate in the late winter. This method has not as yet(1988) been fully tested. Seed sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame sometimes germinates in spring though it may take 18 months. Stored seed can be sown as early in the year as possible and stratified for 6 weeks at 5°c. It may take 2 years to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Plant out in the summer if the plants are more than 25cm tall, otherwise grow on in a cold frame for the winter and plant out in late spring. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July in a shaded frame. Overwinter the plants in the frame and plant out in late spring. High percentage. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth. Select pencil thick shoots in early autumn that are about 20 - 25cm long and plant them in a sheltered position outdoors or in a cold frame. The cuttings can take 12 months to establish but a high percentage of them normally succeed. Division of suckers in the dormant season. Plant them out direct into their permanent positions. Layering. Takes 12 months.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Hedge; Bog Garden;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 3-7
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist, wet
Things to keep in mind
There is a layer of hairs around the seeds just beneath the flesh of the fruit. These hairs can cause irritation to the mouth and digestive tract if ingested.
Its other names
Local names
Common briar, Eglantier, Hundsrose, Escaramujo, Kusburnu, Maces, Peterlenga, Pittellenga, Rosa selvatico, Shipka, Silan, Silank, Sipurak, Sverboritki, Tabgha, Ward barri,