Common Name: Apple Rose

General Information

Rosa villosa is an erect, prickly deciduous shrub that can grow up to 2.5 metres tall[]. The plant sometimes spreads by suckers in the wild, and can form extensive thickets[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It has been cultivated in the past for its edible fruit, and is grown as an ornamental, where it is occasionally used as a hedge to provide protection fom the wild[11.317].

Within this area cultivated for the fruits. In Slovakia the cultivar 'Karpatia' is grown, in Central Germany only cultivation trials. Cultivated as hedges for wind protection, locally also as an ornamental shrub[]

Known Hazards

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.

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Europe and southwest Asia - Spain to France and southern Sweden, east to Turkey, the Caucasus and eastern European Russia

Habitat

Woods, hedgerows, scrub etc[]. Amid shrubs, stony bluffs, sands[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.80 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Rosa villosa is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[].
Most Rosa species require a sunny position if they are to flourish and flower well. They prefer a circumneutral pH, succeeding in a range of soil texturess so long as they are moist but well-drained[, ].
Formerly cultivated for its edible fruit which, from selected plants, can be 4cm wide[]. There are some named varieties, 'Wolley Dod' has large fruits with a good flavour[].
The flowers are semi-double, heavily scented and sweetly fragrant[].
The foliage has an aroma like ripe apples[].
Plants often produce suckers[].
Rose species will often hybridize freely with other members of the genus[].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , , , ]. A pleasant acid pulp, the fruit can also be used in preserves, jams etc[]. The large fruits of this species are often used for making jams, compots, etc[]. The globose fruit is about 30mm in diameter[], but there is only a thin layer of flesh surrounding the many seeds[]. Rich in vitamin C, there is 1303mg per 100g (fresh weight) of fruit[]. Some care has to be taken when eating this fruit, see the notes above on known hazards.

The seed of roses is generally 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 leaves are used as a tea substitute[, , ].

A pleasant tasting fruity-flavoured tea is made from the dried fruit[, ].

Medicinal

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[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant can be grown as a hedge, where it can provide protection from the wild[]. That shelter is likely to be rather minimal in winter due to the deciduous nature of the plant[].
Rose species in general grow well with alliums, parsley, mignonette and lupins[, ]. Garlic planted nearby can help protect the plant from disease and insect predation[, ]. Roses often grow badly with boxwood[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

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[].