Common Name: Himalayan Rose

General Information

Rosa sericea is an erect, deciduous shrub that can grow around 100 - 200cm tall[]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens, valued for its fragrant flowers, and can be used to make a 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 - Himalayan regions of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar

Habitat

Forests, shrubberies and alpine slopes; at elevations up to 4,500 metres[]. Sparse woods, forest margins, scrub, valley slopes, dry valleys, cliffs, mountain summits, gravels, dry sunny places; at elevations from 2,000 - 4,400 metres[].

Properties

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

Cultivation Details

Rosa sericea 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[, ].
A very ornamental plant[]. The flowers are fragrant[].
As treated here, this species includes Rosa omeiensis, which is held to be separate by some botanists[, ]. Rosa sericea omeiensis differs particularly from the species in having a sweet, edible fruit with medicinal uses. See the separate entry for this subspecies.
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 fruit is about 8 - 15mm in diameter[], 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.
The fruits are used to make aromatic teas[].

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

A paste of the flowers is applied to the forehead to treat headaches[]. It is also taken internally in the treatment of liver complaints[].

The plant is used to treat uterine diseases[].

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 traditionally grown in living fences in the northwestern Himalayas, where it helps to exclude livestock and other animals; mark out land boundaries; whilst also providing a range of medicinal and other 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[].