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This time of year my body starts to crave wildcrafted rose hip tea. Warm, berry like, acidic, slightly sweet. My body just soaks it up. Makes sense. As all the colds and flus start flying around and as our bodies get worn out and run down susceptible to infection, these little red fruits dot the black and white landscape almost begging to be harvested and enjoyed. 

In the same family as apples, these little fruits contain incredible amounts of vitamin C. While citrus fruits contain approximately 71 mg vitamin C per 100 g, rose hips contain 1,750 mg — 25 times that of an orange! Not only is this fruit an excellent source of vitamin C, but studies show that it may reduce the symptoms of osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, helping sore, achy joints function better. Rose hips are also found to be high in zinc, iron, and contain more antioxidants than blueberries. They log a long list of other vitamins and minerals as well (including vitamins D and A, two extremely important vitamins that are not commonly found in food) making rose hip medicine super effective in preventing and fighting infections like the flu, and relieving inflammations such as rheumatic pain and irritations of the urinary tract. They’ve also been shown to help lower cholesterol and aid in digestion. 

Basically, this is an amazing wonder food that nature gives freely to us every single winter season. 

Rose hips are used in herbal teas, jam, jelly, syrup, baked goods, wine, and even rose hip soup. They can also be eaten raw, like a berry, making them an excellent resource for survival during the winter months. I like to suck on the fruit while I’m hiking, spitting out the hard seeds as I go.

Many species of native roses are found across North America and have been an incredibly important food and medicine for the first peoples of this land. Traditionally, the Omahas and the Chippewas made a wash with rose hips to treat inflammations of the eyes. The Arapaho used the seeds of the rose hip to produce a drawing effect for muscular pains. And the Mesquakies ate the skin of the rose hip to relieve stomach trouble, and made a rose hip syrup to relieve itching of the body. During World War II, when victory gardens were planted in nearly every yard, people were encouraged to plant roses because they were such a good source of Vitamin C.  Because citrus fruits were largely unavailable, rose hips were grown and used to prevent scurvy.  

Wild rose grows abundantly in this area. You can find the little bushes at the threshold between the prairie and forest, oftentimes right on the edge of a dense forest. In the summer, wild rose blooms into a simple pink rose. In the fall, once the petals drop, the fruit begins to develop. This is the rose hip. Harvesting rose hips is fairly straightforward. Traditionally, the hips are not harvested until after the first major frost, when the fruit goes from orange to bright red. This is when the fruit is at its highest nutrient content and its flavor the sweetest. Pick fruits right off the stem when they are bright red or orange in color. If they are shriveled or off-color, they are not good fruits and should just be left for the winter. 

A Note On Wildcrafting:

It is a beautiful offering to wildcraft herbs and plants. When we do this in a good way we are helping the plant to live out their life purpose, giving us their fruits to feed, nourish and sustain us. This being said, when you head out to harvest rose hips there are a couple of things that are good to be aware of. 

Always ask permission from the plant to harvest and make an offering.  Some people offer tobacco, some a strand of hair. I say, offer whatever it is that is sacred to you. Maybe a song, a prayer, or something you’ve made. It is a way to acknowledge the generosity of the plant and give a little something in gratitude for all that we receive from them.

Only take what you need and have a plan for.  Know that what you harvest is food that other animals like the mule deer, squirrels and birds will not get. Harvest in gratitude for what you need, and leave what you don’t. Essentially, don’t be greedy.

Always leave enough for the plant to reproduce for the coming year.  A good rule of thumb is to never take the first, never take the last, only take what is given, and never take more than half.

Once you have your harvest, it is good to process the fruits within about a week. The fruits themselves are filled with seeds and little fuzzy hairs. You can make teas and foods with the whole rose hip, however many people find the hairs to be somewhat irritating to their systems so it is common to remove the seeds.

The easiest way I’ve found to de-seed is to use scissors to trim off any remaining stem or leaves, and cut the hips in half. Then just scoop out the seeds and hairs and set aside. This is a labor of love and is the most time consuming part of the whole process. Good tunes and a warm fire are essentials here. The seeds actually contain high amounts of vitamin E, sulfur and unsaturated fats. These can be ground into a meal and can be added to muffins, cereals, and soups for a great nutritional boost.

Once you have your cleaned out rose hips, you can use them immediately or set them on a screen to dry. If storing throughout the winter, give them 3-4 weeks to make sure they are thoroughly dried before jarring them. Dried and jarred, they store well until next year.  

As mentioned above, there are many ways to use rose hips — jellies, baked goods, even wine. My favorite is tea. Nothing fancy about it, just straight up rose hip tea. There is something so simple, soothing and grounding about it. There are several different tea blends you could put together with rose hips if you so desire. Tom Brown Jr. writes about his Grandfather Stalking Wolf making him drink rose hip tea every flu season to ward off infection. He says if it was a really bad year, he’d make a tea blend of rose hips and yarrow to nip the infection right away. Rose hips with their high nutritional content and yarrow which induces sweating and fortifies the entire body, this would be an excellent blend. Another that I like when I’m feeling festive is rose hips, hibiscus, orange peel and cinnamon sweetened with a little honey. Yum! But you really can’t beat fresh, simple, rose hip tea in my opinion.

Rose Hip Tea:

1 cup boiling water

1 Tbsp chopped fresh rose hips

Pour boiling water over rose hips. Let steep for 10-15 minutes and strain. 

Rose Hip Syrup:

4 cups rose hips (whole is fine)

2 cups water

1 cup honey

Wash hips, remove stems and ends.  Place in stainless steel saucepan, covering with water.  Simmer 20 minutes or until tender.  Mash with a wooden spoon.  Once boiled, strain the rose hips through a cheesecloth and return clear juice to saucepan. Add honey and blend well.  Boil for 5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened to where you like it. Pour into clean jars and store in refrigerator.