Rosa davurica

A deciduous shrub reaching 1.5 m tall. Hardy to UK zone 5. Flowers appear June to July; seeds mature August to September. Hermaphroditic flowers are bee-pollinated. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils, preferring well-drained conditions even in heavy clay. Grows in mildly acidic, neutral, or mildly alkaline soils. Adapts to semi-shade or full sun and prefers consistently moist soil.

Description

A shrub. It grows 1-1.5 m high and spreads 1.2 m wide. It has straight prickles. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves are small. The flowers are pink ad occur in groups or 1-3. The fruit are small, oval hips that are red.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and has a sweet flavour, though the flesh is fairly dry. It contains about 2.8% dry weight vitamin C and measures about 13mm in diameter, with only a thin layer of flesh surrounding the many seeds. Care should be taken when eating the fruit due to known hazards. The seeds are a good source of vitamin E and can be ground and mixed with flour or added to other foods as a supplement; seed hairs must be removed before use.

Traditional Uses

The mature fruit are eaten. They are used for jam or wine. The leaves, flowers and fruit are used for a tea like drink.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The fruit is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids, and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated for its potential to reduce the incidence of cancer and to halt or reverse cancer growth.

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.

Distribution

It is a cool temperate plant. It is native to northern China. It grows in sunny places between 400-2,500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. In Inner Mongolia.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, China*, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, North Korea, Russia, Siberia,

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils, preferring a circumneutral soil and a sunny position. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes water-logged soils. Grows well with alliums, parsley, mignonette and lupins. Garlic planted nearby can help protect the plant from disease and insect predation. Grows badly with boxwood. Closely related to and sometimes included in R. majalis. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Propagation

Rose seed often takes two years to germinate, as it may require a warm period following a cold spell to mature the embryo and break down the seedcoat. One way to reduce this time is to scarify the seed and place it for 2–3 weeks in damp peat at 27–32°c until it has imbibed, then keep it at 3°c for the following 4 months, by which time germination should begin. Seed harvested green — fully developed but before drying on the plant — and sown immediately may germinate in late winter, though this method had not been fully tested as of 1988. Seed sown fresh in a cold frame sometimes germinates in spring but 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 still take 2 years to germinate. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle. Plant out in summer if plants exceed 25cm, otherwise overwinter in a cold frame and plant out in late spring. Half-ripe cuttings with a heel taken in July in a shaded frame give a high success rate; overwinter in the frame and plant out in late spring. Mature cuttings of the current season's growth, selected as pencil-thick shoots around 20–25cm long in early autumn, can be planted in a sheltered spot outdoors or in a cold frame; they take up to 12 months to establish but succeed at a high rate. Suckers can be divided during dormancy and planted directly into permanent positions. Layering takes 12 months.

Other Uses

None known.

Notes

There are about 150 Rosa species and many cultivated varieties.

References (8)

• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1214
• Flora of China. Vol. 9, p 359 (As var. glabra)
• Fl. ross. 1(2):61. 1788
• Hu, Shiu-ying, 2005, Food Plants of China. The Chinese University Press. p 453
• Khasbagan, Yeruhan and Zhao Hui, 2011, Study on Traditional Knowledge of Wild Edible Plants Used by the Mongolians in Xilingol Typical Steppe Area. Plant Diversity and Resources. 33(2): 239-246

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