Practical
Plants

Rosa woodsii

Western Wild Rose

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Rosa
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
2 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

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[1][5][13]. They are used in making jams, jellies etc. The taste and texture are best after a frost[4]. The fruit can also be dried and used to make a pleasant tasting fruity-flavoured tea[8]. The fruit is up to 15mm in diameter[10], but there is only a thin layer of flesh surrounding the many seeds[K]. Some care has to be taken when eating this fruit, see the notes above on known hazards. Young shoots - raw[6]. Harvested whilst still tender in the spring, they are best peeled[13]. Petals - raw. Remove the bitter white base[6]. The seed is a good source of vitamin E, it can be ground into a powder and mixed with flour or added to other foods as a supplement[2][8]. Be sure to remove the seed hairs[2]. The bark, young shoots, leaves and fruit have all been used to make tea-like beverages[13].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Stem
Product or use
Tea

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 seeds have been used as a poultice to produce a drawing effect for treating muscular pains[13]. An infusion of the leaves has been used as a spring tonic[13]. A poultice of the chewed leaves has been used to allay the pain of bee stings[13]. The leaves have been placed in the shoes as a protection from athletes foot[13]. The roots are blood tonic and diuretic[13]. A decoction of the roots has been used by adults and children in the treatment of diarrhoea and intestinal influenza[13]. A decoction of the root or inner bark has been used in the treatment of colds[13]. An infusion of the fruits has been used in the treatment of coughs[13]. Various parts of the plant have been used to make poultices to apply to burns, sores, cuts, swellings and wounds[13]. A decoction of the branches, combined with chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) and red willow (Salix bonplandiana), has been used in the treatment of various women's complaints, diarrhoea and vomiting[13]. 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[12].

Product or use
Analgesic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Cancer
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Foot care
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Stings
Product or use
Women's complaints

Environment

Range
Central and Western N. America -Minnesota to Missouri, Northwest Territory, New Mexico and Colorado.
Habitat
Moist soils of draws, hillsides, along streams and in open valleys. It often forms thickets in open positions[11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
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[15]. 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[15]. 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[15]. 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[10]. It may take 2 years to germinate[10]. 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[14]. High percentage[14]. 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[14][10]. The cuttings can take 12 months to establish but a high percentage of them normally succeed[14]. Division of suckers in the dormant season. Plant them out direct into their permanent positions. Layering. Takes 12 months[3].

Cultivation

Succeeds in most well-drained soils[3], preferring a circumneutral soil and a sunny position[10]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes water-logged soils[10]. Grows well with alliums, parsley, mignonette and lupins[7][9]. Garlic planted nearby can help protect the plant from disease and insect predation[7][9]. Grows badly with boxwood[7]. Closely related to and hybridizes in the wild with R. blanda[3]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[15]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[10].

References

  1. Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences 1978-00-00

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986-00-00

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  5. Arnberger. L. P. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments Ass. 1968-00-00

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  6. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

  10. 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

  11. Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers The Riverside Press 1963-00-00 ISBN 63-7093

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

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  13. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  15. 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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