Common Name: Wood Rose

General Information

Rosa gymnocarpa is a prickly, deciduous shrub usually producing a loose cluster of erect to spreading, sparsely to densely-branched, slender stems that can grow from 30 - 250cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

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

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Range

Western N. America - British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, .Idaho, Montana, California

Habitat

Light shade (rarely in full sun) in open woodlands, forest edges, often near streams or rocky sites; at elevations up to 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Rosa gymnocarpa is a moderately cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -20°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[, ]. The species is one of the relatively few roses that flourishes in partial shade in its native habitat[].
Suitable for the rock garden[].
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[, ]. It is best after a frost, when it becomes sweeter and softer[]. The scarlet, irregularly ellipsoid or ellipsoid to nearly globose fruit is around 7 - 15mm × 5 - 13 mm[], but there is only a thin layer of flesh surrounding the many seeds[]. Some care has to be taken when eating this fruit, see the notes above on known hazards.

A tea is made from the young leaves and stalks[, , ].

Young shoots - raw[].

Petals - raw. The white base of the petal is bitter and should be removed[].

The seed of roses is generally a good source of vitamin E, it can be ground and mixed with flour or added to other foods as a supplement[, ]. Be sure to remove the seed hairs[].

Medicinal

A poultice of the chewed leaves has been used to allay the pain of bee stings[].

A decoction of the bark has been used as a wash for sore eyes[].

A decoction of the stems has been used as a tonic to treat general indisposition[].

The Saanich peoples of southern Vancouver Island consider this to be a spiritual plant, used for bringing strength and ritual protection: by young people at puberty, by new dancers, and for the recently bereaved who have lost close relatives[].

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:

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[].