Rosa fedtschenkoana

Regel

Fedchenkovskiy rose

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit, Seeds Potential hazards — see below 104 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Rosa fedtschenkoana is a species in the plant genus Rosa in the family Rosaceae. Some authorities consider it a synonym of Rosa webbiana. It is native to the foothills of the Ala Tau, Tian Shan and Pamir-Alai mountain ranges in central Asia and northwest China. It is named after Olga Fédchenko, a Russian botanist. It is deciduous, forming a bushy and suckering shrub up to 2.5 metres high and as much across. The branches are covered in many prickles, many of which are fine and straight, but some are thicker and slightly hooked. The pinnate leaves are pale greyish green in colour and have usually between 7 and 9 leaflets. The flowers are white, up to 5 cm across, and are borne singly or in small clusters at the tips of the branches throughout the summer months. The flowers' scent has been described as being "like 'Hovis' [brown] bread with a little blackberry jam". The flowers are followed by small, pear-shaped, bristly orange-red fruits. Recent DNA research has discovered that R. fedtschenkoana is one of the parents of the damask group of garden roses (the other species involved being R. moschata and R. gallica). This accounts for the remontant (repeat-flowering) nature of some damasks (the autumn damasks), as R. fedtschenkoana is one of the few remontant wild roses.

Description

A shrub. It grows 0.9-2.4 m high and spreads 0.9-2.4 m wide. It develops suckers. The prickles are tinged pink. The leaves are greyish-green. They are compound with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are white and single. They are prominent yellow stamens. The fruit are pear shaped hips that are bristly and orange-red. They are 5 cm long.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and contains about 6.6% dry weight ascorbic acid (vitamin C). It grows up to 25mm in diameter, though only a thin layer of flesh surrounds 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.

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 temperate plant. It is native to mountain areas of central Asia. In western China it grows between 2,400-2,700 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 4-10.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Central Asia, China, Kazakhstan, Turkistan, Uzbekistan,

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils, preferring a circumneutral soil and a sunny position. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes water-logged soils. A very ornamental plant, it is closely related to R. webbiana. 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. Plants produce suckers. 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. Fruit are very high in Ascorbic acid.

Also Known As

Namatak

References (7)

Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1214
Dzhangaliev, A. D., et al, 2003, The Wild Fruit and Nut Plants of Kazakhstan, Horticultural Reviews, Vol. 29. pp 305-371
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 260
Khojimatov, O. K. et al, 2015, Some wild growing plants in traditional foods of Uzbekistan. Journal of Ethnic Foods. 2 (2015) 25-28
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/

Show all 7 references