Practical
Plants

Rosa corymbifera

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rosa
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
3 m
Fertility
self fertile
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Self

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

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.

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked. Rich in vitamin C[2][5]. Sweet and delicious when fully ripe, especially if the fruit has been touched by frost, but there is not much flesh in relation to the quantity of seed and the irritant hairs below the layer of flesh make it more difficult to eat[K]. The fruit can be up to 20mm in diameter[9]. The seed is a good source of vitamin E, it can be ground and mixed with flour or added to other foods as a supplement[1][7]. Be sure to remove the seed hairs[1].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

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[10].

Product or use
Cancer

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to N. Africa and southwest Asia.
Habitat
Woods, hedges, scrub etc.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

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[12]. 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[12]. 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[12]. 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[9]. It may take 2 years to germinate[9]. 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[11]. High percentage[11]. 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[11][9]. The cuttings can take 12 months to establish but a high percentage of them normally succeed[11]. Division of suckers in the dormant season. Plant them out direct into their permanent positions. Layering. Takes 12 months[3].

Cultivation

Succeeds in most soils[3], preferring a circumneutral soil and a sunny position[9]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes water-logged soils[9]. Grows well with alliums, parsley, mignonette and lupins[6][8]. Garlic planted nearby can help protect the plant from disease and insect predation[6][8]. Grows badly with boxwood[6]. Very closely related to R. canina and considered to be a part of that aggregate species[3]. According to [4] this species is no more than a synonym of R. dumalis. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[12]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[9].

References

  1. Kavasch. B. Native Harvests. Vintage Books 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-394-72811-4

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  6. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  8. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

    ↩1↩2

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  10. Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994-00-00 ISBN 1352-4186

    ↩

  11. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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