Rosa x odorata
(Andrews) Sweet
Tea rose, Xiangshui Yueji, Scented monthly rose
(c) Tiffany, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) Tiffany, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Wikimedia Commons - Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit, Seeds, Flowers
The fruit, up to 30mm in diameter, can be eaten raw or cooked, though it has only a thin layer of flesh surrounding many seeds — care should be taken when eating it (see known hazards). The seeds are a good source of vitamin E and can be ground into a powder to mix with flour or add to other foods as a supplement. Always remove the seed hairs before use.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
It is a warm temperate plant.
Asia, Australia, China, Hawaii, Myanmar, Pacific, SE Asia, USA,
How to Identify
A vigorous climbing rose. The flowers can be pale pink, white or yellow. They are large and have a scent.
How to Grow
Propagation: Rose seed often takes two years to germinate, as it may need a warm period after a cold one to mature the embryo and reduce the seedcoat. One way to shorten this is to scarify the seed and place it in damp peat at 27–32°c for 2–3 weeks until imbibed, then hold at 3°c for 4 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 after 6 weeks stratification at 5°c, and may still take 2 years. Prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough; plant out in summer if over 25cm tall, 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. Pencil-thick shoots of mature current-season wood, 20–25cm long, taken in early autumn and placed in a sheltered spot or cold frame, take up to 12 months to establish but succeed at a high rate. Suckers divided during dormancy can be planted directly into permanent positions. Layering takes 12 months.
Medicinal Uses
The fruit is very rich in vitamins A, C and E, flavonoids, and other bio-active compounds, and is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids — an unusual quality for a fruit. It is being investigated for its potential to reduce the incidence of cancer and as a means of halting or reversing tumour growth.
Other Uses
None known.
Wikipedia
Deciduous shrub reaching 6m tall. Hardy to UK zone 7. Flowers June to September. Bee-pollinated hermaphrodite. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage; grows in mildly acid to basic pH. Adapts to semi-shade or full sun and prefers moist soil.
Notes
There are about 150 Rosa species and many cultivated varieties.
Names & Synonyms
References (6)
- Benvenuti, S. & Mazzoncini, M., 2021, The Biodiversity of Edible Flowers: Discovering New Tastes and New Health Benefits. Frontiers in Plant Science Article 569499.
- Hort. suburb. Lond. 119. 1818
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Rop, O., et al, 2012, Edible Flowers - A New Promising Source of Mineral Elements in Human Nutrition. Molecules 2012, 17, 6672-6683
- Staples, G.W. and Herbst, D.R., 2005, A tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. p 481
- Valder, P., 1999, The Garden Plants of China. Florilegium. p 222
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