Content
Rosehip is a genus of plants that is part of the Rosaceae family and includes more than 300 species. The culture is ancient. Its fruits are very healthy, contain a large number of elements necessary for the human body, and were used for treatment back in the Ice Age. Gardeners grow cultivated varieties of wild roses in their plots as ornamental plants.
Rose hips contain many vitamins and nutrients
What does a rosehip bush look like?
The common rose hip (Rosa eanina L.) is an unpretentious thorny shrub that is not afraid of drought or frost. Capable of growing up to 3 m in height. Depending on growing conditions, it can live for 40-50 years, in exceptional cases longer. For example, in Germany the oldest representative of the species grows, which looks like a tree. This rosehip lived for about five centuries. Its height is 13 meters, and its trunk girth is 50 cm.
Wild rose is very hardy.It has a powerful root system that goes 5-6 m deep into the ground, thanks to which it can survive even in adverse weather conditions. Rosehip branches are erect, curved downwards, and grow very quickly. In the first year of life they reach a height of 100 cm or more. They are almost completely covered with very sharp, not too large thorns, which initially grow soft, but become woody as they age.
Young shoots of the crop are green with a shade of purple, brown, red, and may have bristly pubescence on their surface. The leaves are medium in size, collected on the branches in groups of 6-7 pieces. The flowers are not large, about 4 cm in diameter, and have different shades: pink, white, yellow. At the end of the flowering period, an ovary appears in their place, then green berries, which, as they ripen, acquire an orange or red color. Sometimes you can find rose hips with black fruits.
Most often, the variety is grown as a decoration for a personal plot and used to decorate hedges. Some gardeners, knowing about the characteristics of the plant, cultivate rose hips as a food, vitamin, medicinal and melliferous crop. The shrub is capable of growing quickly, is completely undemanding in care, and can be located almost anywhere on the site.
What do rose hip flowers look like?
Flowering of the plant begins in late spring and continues until the last week of June. Then paniculate or corymbose inflorescences appear on its branches, most often white or pink, less often yellow, consisting of four to six buds.They can reach 10 cm in diameter, have up to 11 petals, numerous pistils and stamens, a large corolla, and can be either monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous. The opening of flowers occurs at approximately five in the morning, closing - closer to 20.00. During flowering, young rose hips look elegant and delicate, and almost always exude a pleasant fragrant aroma. Some varieties may have a specific smell.
Sometimes the flowers of the plant have pronounced doubleness
What do rose hips look like?
The appearance of rose hips is a dryish or elongated fleshy multi-nut with a hard peel. The berries are small, up to 15 mm in diameter. Their surface is smooth or bristly, color ranges from orange to black. Inside the fruit are numerous seeds and coarse fibers. The shape and shape of the berries may vary. Found in the composition:
- vitamins A, C, PP, E, group B;
- carotene;
- iron;
- calcium;
- potassium.
The earlier the rosehip harvest, the more vitamin C it contains.
Rose hips are a berry or fruit
According to the botanical classification, the crop is a drupe-like fruit. Rosehip looks like a berry and, accordingly, belongs to this group. The berry characteristics of the plant exceed those of fruit: juicy shell, bush origin, abundance of seeds inside. But in fact, the fruit is a complex nut, since due to the characteristics of its formation it is not a full-fledged berry.
Where does wild rose hips grow in nature, in what places?
Most often, wild rose hips grow in forests or steppes, but they can also be seen in undergrowth, along roads, on forest edges, sand spits and near the shores of reservoirs.It is found throughout the post-Soviet space and in most European regions. Initially, the place of growth of the culture was the northern hemisphere, then some species spread towards the southern direction.
When and how quickly does rosehip grow?
In addition to the fact that the rosehip bush, the photo and description of which is presented above, is completely unpretentious in care, it also has the ability to grow quickly. Already in the third or fourth year after planting, it forms a dense hedge. And if the plant is watered, pruned and fertilized on time, then this process can be significantly accelerated.
The crop begins to bear fruit in the second year of the growing season. Stable yields are observed at intervals of three to four years. The best results are shown by bushes that are more than four but less than eight years old. The timing of harvest ripening depends on the region of growth and weather conditions. In temperate climates, berries can be picked from the beginning of September.
Regular pruning promotes rapid growth of rosehip shoots.
Conclusion
Rosehip is a unique plant that can be found in almost all corners of our planet. Hidden behind its prickly thorns are fragrant buds and an abundance of vitamins and berries. In summer, the bush pleases the eye with its beauty and decorativeness, and in winter it provides a useful harvest. From rose hips you can make delicious jam, jam and even marmalade, as well as juices and compotes that will help protect against colds and strengthen the immune system.
