Wild roses are abundant across the Midwest. Their petals and hips can be used as culinary herbs in many drinks and dishes.
Rosa species
EDIBLE buds, flowers, hips
The heady perfume of the rose rests on the summer breezes of June, guiding you to brambles filled with blossoms and unopened buds ready to be gathered by the basketful and infused into cocktails, beverages, pastries, confections, and savory dishes.
Rose is a spreading shrub that grows to be about 5 feet tall. Its canes are thorny and have alternate, finely serrated compound leaves that are deep green and shiny. The rosebuds form in mid-June and then open into blooms that are five-petaled and range in color from white to dark pink, from 1 to 3 inches in diameter, depending on the species. After the rose is pollinated, it forms its fruit, called rose hips, in late summer. These range in size from ¼ to 1½ inches in diameter. The hips will turn dark red after the first hard frost.
Wild roses are abundant across the Midwest. Their petals and hips can be used as culinary herbs in many drinks and dishes.
Wild roses love disturbed rocky soil, woodland edges, and locations near lakes and rivers. Gather the unopened buds and petals in early summer. Rose hips are best gathered in late fall after the frost when their flavors are more pronounced.
Gather unopened buds and flowers using pruners or scissors and dry them flat on screens. Harvest on a dry, sunny day. Wet weather will diminish the aromatics and make the plant material very fragile. Gather from healthy plants; roses are frequently susceptible to mildew, blight, and aphids. The rose hips will be orange until a frost, when they turn a dark, bright red. On the larger rose hips, scoop out the seeds and the interior if possible before drying or cooking, to avoid possible stomach upset.
Use wild rose petals to make a rosewater hydrosol or rose simple syrup. The rosewater and simple syrup can be used to flavor shortbreads, biscotti, cakes, and poached fruits. The rose simple syrup can flavor ice cream, plain yogurt, sorbet, panna cotta, and meringue, as well as vodka punch, champagne, non-alcoholic sodas, and sparkling water.
Rose hips are high in vitamin C and can be collected and preserved after the frost in the fall.
Candy the rose petals and rosebuds to dress up desserts and other confections. For beverages, rose petals can be infused into tequila and vodkas for rose liquors and cordials. Citrusy flavored wild rose hips are high in vitamin C. Add dried or fresh hips to cordials, jelly, and syrups.
The wild rose is deemed a noxious weed in some areas. It can be easily propagated by canes, and gathering its buds, petals, and hips will not significantly impact future harvests.