Rose-hips

Disclaimer: This information is in no way intended to be a substitute for modern medical care. Do not self-treat any medical complaint without the guidance of a licensed health care provider.

The curative potential of rose hips - the fleshy red fruits of the dog rose and other types of wild and shrub roses - has been know since the Stone Age. Today, as then, the fruits are mashed into a vitamin-rich pulp and consumed raw or cooked. They are also often dried. Rose hips are used to prepare teas, extracts, purees or marmalades.

Plant Facts
The dog rose, a main source of rose hips, grows up to 10 feet high and bears fragrant white flowers. The hips, which have a slightly sour but pleasant taste, emerge in the fall, after the blooms have faded and the petals have dropped off.

Origin
Native to Europe, northern Africa and western and central Asia, wild and shrub roses now grow in many parts of the United States, too.

Parts Used
Rose hips can be used fresh or dried for medicinal purposes. To prepare them, cut the fruits open. For wine (below) or a smooth texture in jellies or purees, remove the seeds. When you are ready to store them, do not use a metal container because fruit acids can react with the metal, giving the hips an off flavor.

Components
Rose hips are prized primarily for their high vitamin C content. The fruits also contain such health-promoting substances as carotenoids (yellow-orange pigments with antioxidant properties), fruit acids and pectin.

Indications
Because they are so rich in vitamin C - which strengthens the immune system - rose hips are often taken to prevent or treat colds. Just 1 tbsp. of rose-hip pulp more than satisfies the adult Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C: 60 mg. To store the pulp, freeze it in small portions. They also have very mild diuretic and astringent properties that may help people with chronic kidney disease or poor bladder control. The fruit acids and pectin in rose hips can have a slight laxative effect. In addition, rose hips' antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties make them useful as a disinfectant.

Methods of Administration
Tea
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tbsp. of dried crushed rose hips. Steep this mixture for 10 min., then strain. Drink 1 cup 3 times daily. Commercial rose-hips tea bags are also effective.

Wine
Remove the seeds from 3½ oz. of dried rose hips and steep the hulls in 1 qt. of dry red wine for 2 weeks. Strain. Drink a small glass of the wine daily.

Syrup
Put 7 oz. of dried rose hips and ½ cup of sugar in 1¼ cups of 100-proof alcohol. Let this mixture sit for 4 weeks. Dilute the strained liquid with ¾ cup of water. Enjoy a small liqueur glass of the syrup daily.

Pulp, raw
In a food processor, blend the hulls of the freshly picked fruits into a puree and press the pulp through a sieve. The fresh uncooked fruits can be eaten raw or used to make rose-hip jelly.

Pulp, cooked
Steep the hulls of the freshly picked fruits overnight in water. Simmer this mizture for 30 min., then strain. Eat it as is or add it to sauces.

Magickal Information
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities: Hathor, Hulda, Eros, Cupid, Demeter, Isis, Adonis, Harpocrates, Aurora
Powers: Love, Psychic Powers, Healing, Love Divination, Luck, Protection

Rose hips are strung and worn as love attracting beads.
Rose hips are used in healing spells and mixtures, and a rose-water saturated cloth laid to the temples will relieve headache pain.

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Sources:
All information provided in this article is the result of research using (but not limited to) the following books and guides: Herbs for Health and Healing, Rodale; Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham; Magical Herbalism, Scott Cunningham; The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers; Earthway, Mary Summer Rain; Teach Yourself Herbs, Susie White; Natural Beauty from the Garden, Janice Cox; Nature's Prescriptions, Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing, and The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies, Joe Graedon and Theresa Graedon, Ph.D