Western Wild Rose, Woods' rose, Tehachapi rose
Rosa woodsii
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
Rosa woodsii is a deciduous Shrub growing to 2 m (6ft 7in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. 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 soil.
Height (m): 2
Where it is found
Moist soils of draws, hillsides, along streams and in open valleys. It often forms thickets in open positions.
Central and Western N. America -Minnesota to Missouri, Northwest Territory, New Mexico and Colorado.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Fruit - raw or cooked. They are used in making jams, jellies etc. The taste and texture are best after a frost. The fruit can also be dried and used to make a pleasant tasting fruity-flavoured tea. The fruit is up to 15mm 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. Young shoots - raw. Harvested whilst still tender in the spring, they are best peeled. Petals - raw. Remove the bitter white base. The seed is a good source of vitamin E, it can be ground into a powder and mixed with flour or added to other foods as a supplement. Be sure to remove the seed hairs. The bark, young shoots, leaves and fruit have all been used to make tea-like beverages.
Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The seeds have been used as a poultice to produce a drawing effect for treating muscular pains. An infusion of the leaves has been used as a spring tonic. A poultice of the chewed leaves has been used to allay the pain of bee stings. The leaves have been placed in the shoes as a protection from athletes foot. The roots are blood tonic and diuretic. A decoction of the roots has been used by adults and children in the treatment of diarrhoea and intestinal influenza. A decoction of the root or inner bark has been used in the treatment of colds. An infusion of the fruits has been used in the treatment of coughs. Various parts of the plant have been used to make poultices to apply to burns, sores, cuts, swellings and wounds. A decoction of the branches, combined with chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) and red willow (Salix bonplandiana), has been used in the treatment of various women's complaints, diarrhoea and vomiting. 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.
Analgesic: Relieves pain.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Foot care: Plants that are used in various ways to treat foot problems.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Salve: Soothes and heals damaged skin.
Stings: Used in the treatment of stings and insect bites.
Women's complaints: A very vague title, it deals with a miscellany of problems peculiar to the female sex.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Succeeds in most well-drained soils, preferring a circumneutral soil and a sunny position. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes water-logged soils. 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. Closely related to and hybridizes in the wild with R. blanda. 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;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
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.