Common Name: Burnet Rose

General Information

Rosa spinosissima is a prickly, low-growing, deciduous shrub producing a cluster of erect spreading or curved stems; it usually grows around 75 - 200cm tall[]. The plant has relatively long rhizomes and can form dense parches of growth[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is sometimes used in soil stabilization projects and is grown as an ornamental, where it can be used to form 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

Temperate Eurasia - through most of Europe east to western Siberia, Mongolia, western China (Xinjiang) and Iran; N. Africa - Algeria

Habitat

Sandy shores and heaths, also on limestone, especially near the sea[, ]. Scrub in forests, grassy slopes, river sides; at elevations from 1,100 - 2,300 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	1.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Bees, Flies, Lepidoptera, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Rosa spinosissima is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -30°c when fully dormant[].
Succeeds in most soils[, ], preferring a circumneutral soil and a sunny position[, ]. Prefers a light sandy soil[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes water-logged soils[].
The blooms have a delicious fruity perfume[].
Suckers freely[].
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[, ]. Small but unusually sweet and pleasant tasting[]. The fruit is up to 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.
A pleasant tasting fruity-flavoured tea is made from the fruits[], it is very high in vitamin C, a richer source than R. canina[].

The dried leaves are used as a tea substitute[].

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 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[].

Of a group of medicinal plants tested for their antioxidant properties, Rosa spinosissima, with the largest amounts of phenolic compounds, proved to have the highest radical scavenging activity and provided the highest peroxidation inhibition[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant has thorny stems and can be used as an outer security hedge[].
The plant is grown on some European coasts, where it is used for stabilizing sandy dunes and preventing erosion[]
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[].

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[].