Rosa canina
This arched limbed deciduous perennial is a wonder. The sweet smelling flowers contain secrets. After they bloom in June to early July, the flowers slowly reveal potential in the form of a bright red "hip" that bears the fruit of soul soothing. The various abstracts of the hip create aesthetic curiosity that functions cohesively with the fundamental necessities of the human spirit.
Dog rose typically grows in hedgerows, woodland margins and scrub. It is a tall climbing plant, (up to three meters) with thorny, deep green and blue foliage. It produces leaves in early spring, then white to pale pink flowers in late spring to early summer. When the petals fall, the plant begins to reveal a “hip” at the end of the stem, the berry like fleshy fruit that ripens in late autumn.
Plant dog rose with a spacing of two meters as the plant reproduces with shoot systems beneath the soil, like strawberries. Be sure to it receives plenty of light and is grown with a hardy shrub to support its climbing branches and to protect it from the elements. When dry, water. The flower is hardy and grows in almost any soil, but tend to avoid wet marshy areas or exposed soil. If it is grown in complete shade it won’t produce flowers. When introduced with Hawthorne, be sure that the shrub is mature and healthy before planting dog rose, the climbing vines of the flower will overwhelm the hedge.
The flowers grow in clusters of five to six, with their five petals hanging down like veils of mourning. The fruit is a bright red torch shape and the pulp is loaded with vitamin C. It is an astringent and has been used as a remedy for many ailments.
The pulp of the hip is used to make syrup, which is given to children to prevent illness with the presence of vitamin C. The pulp is also extracted to make jam and a number of other natural remedies. The leaves are dried to make rose hip tea, which has been used to treat depression, diarrhea and dysentery. The pith of the seed can be dried out and used as itching powder.
What a miracle.
The name can be traced to two sources,
1. The root of the dog rose could cure the bite of a rabid dog and,
2. It was confused with dog wood which is a similar plant and the name trickled down to Rosa (rose) and Canina (dog).
Soak in the heady aromas and enjoy.