Rosa hemsleyana

Taeckh.

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit Potential hazards — see below

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Summary

A deciduous shrub hardy to UK zone 6. Bee-pollinated hermaphrodite. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with preference for well-drained conditions. Suitable for mildly acid to mildly alkaline pH. Grows in semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil.

Description

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and is rich in vitamin C. It can grow up to 5cm long, though only a thin layer of flesh surrounds the many seeds. Care should be taken when eating the fruit regarding the 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 — be sure to remove the seed hairs before use.

Medicinal Uses

The fruit of many members of this genus 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 as a food capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and as a means of halting or reversing 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.

Where It Grows

Asia, China,

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. Very closely related to, and possibly no more than a part of, R. setipoda. 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 need a warm period following a cold one to mature the embryo and reduce the seedcoat. One way to shorten this 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. Alternatively, seed harvested green — fully developed but not yet dried 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 seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle, then plant out in summer if over 25cm tall, or overwinter in a cold frame and plant out in late spring. Half-ripe cuttings with a heel taken in July in a shaded frame, overwintered and planted out in late spring, yield a high success rate. Mature cuttings of the current season's growth — pencil-thick shoots around 20–25cm long selected in early autumn — can be planted in a sheltered spot outdoors or in a cold frame; they take around 12 months to establish but normally succeed at a high rate. Suckers can be divided during the dormant season and planted directly into permanent positions. Layering also works and takes around 12 months.