Wild Rose

Rosa canina

NL: Wilderoos/Hondsroos - F: L'églantier (fruits: cynorrhodons)

This shrub is another great attraction for wild life. It can be seen in flower from May to September, its lovely scent being spread all around. The flower of this rose is used in preparation of the Bach Flower “Wild Rose” prescribed to help dispel apathy and increase life motivation.

The fruits are ripe around July and can be eaten raw or preserved by drying. They can also be part of delicious jams or compote - a great source of vitamin C for use in winter time. The dry fruits are regularly used in herbal infusions, usually sold as “rose hips”. The rose leaves can also be used in herbal teas that can even replace coffee. Fruits are very rich in vitamins C, E and betacarotene.

 
Make sure to remove the hairs in the seeds and of some fruits, as they can be irritating to the throat. When making compote, at the stage of sieving the cooked pulp the hairs will be removed anyway, so the attention should be taken only when eating the rosehips raw.

Rose petals - non sprayed - can be eaten raw, in salads, juices or used into cooked dishes. It is also used to make some delicate jam or syrup.

You can watch a nice video with plenty of information on the various uses of Wild Rose, here:
Many uses of rose- Veria Living

More on Wild Rose:
Plants for a Future: Wild Rose
Wild Rose in the Bach Flower Remedies
Lief, from Wildplantforager.com on rosehips