This species was first described from a cultivated, double-flowered form, so the typical species (which is single-flowered) is called Rosa roxburghii normalis[].

Common Name: Sweet Chestnut Rose

General Information

Rosa roxburghii is a deciduous shrub that can grow 100 - 250cm tall and usually as much wide[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental in gardens, valued especially for its showy flowers and its ability to be used as a prickly hedge[].

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

E. Asia - southern and eastern China, northeast India

Habitat

Waysides and semi-arid river valleys[]. On open slopes, in valleys, at roadsides, or in curbs at elevations of 500 - 2500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.20 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Rosa roxburghii is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[].
Succeeds in most soils[], preferring a circumneutral soil and a sunny position[]. Succeeds in poor sandy soils[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes water-logged soils[].
The flowers have a fruity perfume[]. The mature fruits smell like ripe pineapples[].
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[]. The fruits are aromatic and very spiny, they remain greenish even when fully ripe[]. The fruit is very rich in vitamins and has a sweet sour taste[]. The green-red, depressed-globose fruit is up to 40mm long and 20mm wide[, ], 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.

Young shoots and leaves are eaten as a vegetable[]. Used as a 'lablab' (a vegetable salad that is served with sambal and is often eaten with rice)[].

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[].

Medicinal

The plant is rich in tannins and is used as an astringent[].

The edible fruit is very rich in vitamins and have a sweet, sour taste; they are used medicinally[].
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 is used as a hedge, where its abuldant prickles help to keep out unwanted guests[, ].
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

An extract of the fruit is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a tonic[].
The juice of the whole plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an emollient and humectant[].
The oil extracted from the seed is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as an antioxidant, hair, nail and skin conditioner[].

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 shorten 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 should 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[].