Rosa pimpinellifolia

Burnet rose, Dune rose, Pimpinella-leaved rose, Scotch rose, Scotch briar

Rosaceae Edible: Fruit, Seeds, Shoots Potential hazards — see below

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Summary

Rosa pimpinellifolia, the burnet rose, is a species of rose native to western, central and southern Europe (north to Iceland and Norway) and northwest Africa.

Description

A small shrub. It forms suckers and loses its leaves during the year. It grows 0.9-2 m high and spreads 1.2 m wide. It has narrow prickles and bristles. The leaves are green and hairless. There are 5-11 leaflets. These are oval and have sharp teeth. The leaves are coarse and feather like. The flowers are creamy-white or occasionally pink. They are 20-40 mm across. They occur singly. The fruit is a round hip. It is 6-10 mm across. These turn black when ripe.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and is small but unusually sweet and pleasant tasting. Each hip is up to 15mm in diameter, though only a thin layer of flesh surrounds the many seeds. Care should be taken when eating the fruit — see known hazards. The seeds are a good source of vitamin E and can be ground into a powder and mixed with flour or added to food as a supplement; always remove the seed hairs first. The fruit also makes a pleasant, fruity-flavoured tea that is very high in vitamin C — a richer source than Rosa canina.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are eaten when ripe. The young shoots are peeled and eaten raw as a snack.

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, flavonoids, and other bio-active compounds, and is 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 and Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in rocky and sandy places. It grows on sandy shores. It suits hardiness zones 4-10.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Britain, Caucasus, Europe, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Mediterranean, North America, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Türkiye, USA,

Cultivation

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. 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. Suckers freely. 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 reduce the seedcoat. One approach to shorten this is to scarify the seed and place it in damp peat at 27–32°c for 2–3 weeks until it has imbibed, then keep it at 3°c for four months until germination begins. 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 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 heel cuttings taken in July in a shaded frame, overwintered and planted out in late spring, give a high success rate. Mature cuttings of pencil-thick current-season shoots, 20–25cm long, taken in early autumn and planted in a sheltered spot or cold frame, can take 12 months to establish but normally succeed at a high rate. Suckers can be divided in the dormant season and planted directly into permanent positions. Layering takes 12 months.

Other Uses

The plant's thorny stems make it suitable for use as an outer security hedge.

Notes

There are about 150 Rosa species and many cultivated varieties.

Synonyms

Rosa spinosissima?

Also Known As

Abrojo, Bodičasti šipek, Shavi askkili

References (16)

Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 74 (As Rosa pimpinellifolia)
Bussman, R. W., et al, 2016, A comparative ethnobotany of Khevsureti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Tusheti, Svaneti, and Racha-Lechkhumi, Republic of Georgia (Sakartvelo), Caucasus. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine.
Bussman, R. W., et al, 2021, Unity in diversity—food plants and fungi of Sakartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:72 p 14
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1219 (As Rosa spinosissima)
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 207 (As Rosa pimpinellifolia)

Show all 16 references

Flowerdew, B., 2000, Complete Fruit Book. Kyle Cathie Ltd., London. p 174 (As Rosa pimpinellifolia)
Flowerdew, B., 2000, Complete Fruit Book. Kyle Cathie Ltd., London. p 174 (As Rosa spinosissima)
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 573 (As Rosa spinosissima)
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 278 (As Rosa spinosissima)
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 273 (As Rosa pimpinellifolia)
http://www.botanic-gardens-ljubljana.com/en/plants
Irving, M., 2009, The Forager Handbook, A Guide to the Edible Plants of Britain. Ebury Press p 277
Kremer, B.P., 1995, Shrubs in the Wild and in Gardens. Barrons. p 178 (As Rosa pimpinellifolia)
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/ (As Rosa pimpinellifolia)
Syst. nat. ed. 10, 2:1062. 1759
Tardio, J., et al, Ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants in Spain. Botanical J. Linnean Soc. 152 (2006), 27-71