Common Name: Ramanas Rose

General Information

Rosa rugosa is a prickly, deciduous shrub producing a thick cluster of robust, erect to arching, densely-branched stems up to 4cm in diameter; it can grow around 100 - 250cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine, and is sometimes cultivated on a local level for its edible fruit[]. A very ornamental plant, it is often grown in gardens for its large flowers and can also be used as a hedge that is tolerant of salt-laden winds.
Rosa rugosa is widely naturalized in North America. It can be weedy and is invasive in eastern parts of the United States and Canada, especially along coastlines and waterways[].

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 - Russian Far East, North and east China, Japan, Korea. Naturalized in several places in Britain[].

Habitat

Coastal hillsides, sandy soils on sea shores, offshore islands; at elecations up to 100 metres[]. Sandy sea shores[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Insects, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Rosa rugosa is a very cold-hardy plant that is said to withstand winter temperatures down to around -50°c without damage[].
Prefers a light well-drained soil but succeeds in most soils including dry ones[, , ]. Grows well in heavy clay soils[]. Prefers a circumneutral soil and a sunny position[]. Dislikes water-logged soils[]. Tolerates maritime exposure[, ].
The plant suckers freely but these are fairly easily controlled[].
A very ornamental plant[]. There are a number of named varieties[]. 'Scabrosa' is said to be larger in all its parts, including the fruit[], though it has not proved to be much larger with us[].
The flowers have a clove-like perfume[].
The foliage is said to resist disease[].
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[, , ]. They are very sweet and pleasant to eat, though it takes quite a bit of patience to eat any quantity[]. They can be used for making marmalade, whilst in Russia a special food known as 'kisel' is prepared from the cooked fruits[]. The fruit is a fairly large size for a rose with a relatively thick layer of flesh[]. The bright red, flattened-globose fruit is about 25mm in diameter[]. Rich in vitamin C[, ], containing up to 2.75% dry weight[]. Some care has to be taken when eating this fruit, see the notes above on known hazards.
A pleasant tasting fruity-flavoured tea is made from the dried fruit, it is rich in vitamin C[, ].
A tea is also made from the leaves[].

Flowers - raw or cooked[]. An aromatic flavour, they are also used in jellies and preserves[, ]. Remove the bitter white base of the petals before using them.

Young shoots - cooked and used as a potherb[]. Harvested as they come through the ground in spring and are still tender.

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 leaves are used in the treatment of fevers[].

The flowers act on the spleen and liver, promoting blood circulation[, ]. They are used internally in the treatment of poor appetite and digestion, and menstrual complaints arising from constrained liver energy[].

The root is used in the treatment of coughs[].

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 makes a good low hedge[, ]. It is very tolerant of maritime exposure, but is very bare in winter[].
Because of its resistance to frost and fungus diseases, its adaptation to poor and even saline soils, it is planted for stabilizing dunes, slopes etc[].
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

Various parts of the plant are used as ingredients in commercial cosmetic preparations[].
An extract of the fruit is used as a humectant plus hair and skin conditioner[].
The flowers and their essential oils are used as humectants, masking agents, perfumes and skin conditioners[]
An extract of the leaves is used as a humectant[].
An extract of the roots is used as a skin conditioner[].
An extract of the stems is used as a humectant, skin conditioner and skin protector[].

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[].