Quick Notes /
Also called Rose Hep or Rose Haw, these are the pollinated fruit of a rose plant, which begins developing in Spring and look like large bright berries by Autumn. They are generally available in a reds and oranges, but some varieties of roses have darker almost purple or black rose hips. A few species of roses are grown for the aesthetic value of their hips instead of their blooms, including Rosa movesii, which has large, bright red fruits. The waxy skin of the rose hip is reflective and seems to glow among the greenery in an arrangement.
Flower History/
Rose hips have a long history. While the rose hips we use are only for looking at (we do not recommend picking any of these fruits out a floral arrangement) these fruits have been used in everything from herbal teas to the central ingredient in the national soft-drink of Slovenia. There is rose hip jam, itching powder, and even wine and bread. This versatile fruit has one of the highest levels of vitamin C available in a plant. The rose hip Wikipedia page offered this fun historical fact :
During World War II, the people of Britain were encouraged through letters to The Times newspaper, articles in theBritish Medical Journal, and pamphlets produced by Claire Loewenfeld, a dietitian working for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, to gather wild-grown rose hips to make a vitamin C syrup for children.
Inside Info /
- Most rose species require that the hip be chilled in order to germinate – some species only germinating after two winter chills have occurred.
- The hairs inside the rose hip fruit are highly irritating.
- The wild Dog Rose is most often cultivated for it’s hips.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Blooming Thoughts 