Dog rose (rose canina, rosa canina): what it looks like, distinguish the plant from a regular one, description of the flower, leaves, root system

Dog rose is not particularly decorative, but gardeners often plant it in their garden plots for its beneficial properties. Rose canina is widely used not only in folk medicine, but also in official medicine; its beneficial effects on the body have been scientifically proven. Caring for dog rose is extremely simple, but treatment should only be started after consulting a doctor.

What does the dog rose look like and botanical description

Dog rose (Rosa Canina), also known as “dog rose”, “wild rose” or “cock berries”, is one of the many representatives of the Rosehip genus. He, in turn, is part of the Pink family.

The unusual Latin name for dog rose emphasizes the “value” of the canina rose in comparison with “cultivated” roses. But there is another version, according to which, several centuries ago, the plant was actively used to treat dog bites.

Rosa canina is a deciduous dense shrub, reaching 1.5-2.5 m in diameter. The branches are powerful, but almost never straight. Characterized by a noticeable arcuate bend. The bark is greenish-brown, and with prolonged exposure to direct sunlight changes color to brick or dull red.

There are relatively few thorns on the main shoots of rose canina; their shape resembles sickles flattened on the sides. The flower stalks are literally dotted with them. The spikes on them bend even more, turning into some kind of hooks.

The leaves of the dog rose are pinnately dissected, 7-9 cm long. Normally they consist of seven elliptical “segments” with a pointed tip, but sometimes there are five or nine. The edge is cut with small teeth, the central vein is covered with short, sparse “villi,” and there is a narrow stipule at the base of the leaf.

Dog rose flowers are often solitary, but corymbose inflorescences (3-5 pieces) are also found. The shade of the petals varies from snow-white and pastel pink to crimson and crimson. The diameter of the flower is 5-8 cm, it has 5-7 petals. The main “wave” of flowering occurs at the end of May and June; in July, single buds open. Dog rose flowers do not have any aroma, even a slight one.

The fruits of rose canina are round, broadly oval or ovoid, 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter, with a smooth, glossy skin of red-orange color. They ripen in the second half of August.

The contents of the fruits of the rose canina are numerous seeds covered with hard fibers.

Important! Fruits set only with cross-pollination. You will have to plant at least two canina rose bushes at once.

How to distinguish dog rose hips from ordinary ones

“Common” rosehip is known to botanists as “may” or “wrinkled” rosehip. Its main difference from the dog one is the leaf plates. In the first case, their surface is wrinkled, in the second – smooth.

You can also pay attention to the bracts. In the dog rose they are tightly pressed to the peduncles, in the May rose they stick out to the sides, resembling a “sun with rays”.

The easiest way to distinguish these species is during flowering. The opening buds of ordinary rose hips spread an amazing aroma.

The fruits of the wrinkled rose hip are bright red, slightly flattened

Differences between dog rose and cinnamon rose hips

The main difference between cinnamon rosehip and dog rose is the shade of the bark. Even on young shoots of the first one it is brown, without any greenish tint. In it, like the wrinkled rose hip, unlike the canina rose, the bracts bend outward.

The appearance of the spikes also varies. In cinnamon rose hips they are thin and straight. Relatively rare on shoots, concentrated at the base of leaves.

Cinnamon rose hips “win” in usefulness over all other varieties

Where does rose canina grow?

The natural habitat of the dog rose (as well as many members of the family) is very wide. This is almost all of Europe, Western and Central Asia, North Africa. Rosa canina is easy to find in the European part of Russia.

The dog rosehip “chooses” its place of growth, also not being particularly picky. It is found in any not too dense forests, slopes and slopes overgrown with grass or other shrubs, on the banks of reservoirs, along roadsides, and in wastelands.

In warm climates (Caucasus, Black Sea region), rose canina actively grows, forming almost impenetrable thickets

Chemical composition and medicinal properties

In folk medicine, dog rose is valued mainly for its record high content of vitamin C, which is useful for restoring immunity and simply maintaining body tone. But rose fruits contain canina and other vitamins:

A – good for vision and immunity;
K, necessary for normal blood clotting;
P - strengthens the walls of capillaries, helps maintain the permeability of blood vessels;
group B - participate in the synthesis of enzymes, some hormones, erythrocytes and leukocytes.

Dog rose also contains:

flavonoids;
tannins;
pectins;
fruit acids (malic, citric);
essential oils;
organic sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose);
kaempferol, quercetin, lycopene, rubixanthin;
macro- and microelements (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, zinc, iron, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, cobalt, molybdenum).

All these substances in combination provide dog rose with properties that are in demand in folk medicine:

bile and diuretic;
antiviral and anti-inflammatory;
wound healing, hemostatic;
immunostimulating, antioxidant;
antispasmodic.

The health benefits of dog rose are officially recognized

Experts in the field of traditional medicine recommend canine rosehip remedies for the following health problems:

vitamin deficiency, including seasonal spring deficiency and caused by long-term adherence to a strict diet;
immunity deteriorated after a long illness or serious surgery;
frequent colds, acute respiratory infections, ARVI;
anemia;
pathologies in the metabolic process, disrupted hormonal levels;
atherosclerosis, especially if it is necessary to cleanse blood vessels not only from cholesterol “plaques”, but also from fatty deposits;
hypertension, coronary heart disease;
pneumonia, whooping cough and other diseases of the bronchopulmonary system accompanied by inflammation;
stones in the urinary, gall bladder, kidneys;
eczema, psoriasis, any dermatological diseases;
the presence of long-term non-healing wounds, ulcers, burns on the skin and mucous membrane;
stomach or intestinal ulcer;
decreased gastric secretion;
liver diseases;
some diseases of the musculoskeletal system (rheumatism, gout);
myopia, farsightedness in the early stages of development;
in women - excessively heavy menstruation, frequent uterine bleeding.

Substances beneficial to health are concentrated mainly in the shell of the dog rose hips. Less commonly used in folk medicine are the leaves, seeds, and roots of rose canina.

Important! Dog rose is not a panacea. As a rule, it is taken in addition to medications prescribed by a doctor, and not instead of them.

Cooking methods

In folk medicine, dog rose is used in various ways. But the most popular are products made from its fruits.

Decoction of rose canina fruits

To prepare it you will need 80-100 g of dry raw materials and 1 liter of clean water. The process is extremely simple:

Wash the dog rose fruits well.
Boil water in a saucepan.
Without removing it from the heat, pour the fruits of the canina rose into boiling water. Cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes.
Cover the pan tightly with a lid, wrap it in a towel, and leave for 5-6 hours.
Before use, strain the prepared broth and squeeze out the berries themselves.

The taste of the decoction of rose canina fruits is, in principle, not bad, but you can add a little lemon juice or honey

Important! The finished broth is stored only in the refrigerator, for a maximum of two days.

Dog rose tea

There are a lot of recipes, but tea is always prepared the same way. Take a decoction of dog rose hips, add the remaining ingredients (if necessary, crushing them first), and let it brew for 5-6 hours under a closed lid.

You can add dog rose hips to the decoction (the proportions are selected arbitrarily, to your taste):

dried ordinary or chokeberry, black currant, raspberry;
fresh or dry mint, lemon balm;
cardamom, cinnamon, anise;
loose leaf tea (black or green);
fresh sour green apples.

Ready tea from the fruits of rose canina is filtered before use.

Important! You should not drink tea with dog rose hips all the time. It is better to use it in courses of 10-12 days with breaks of the same duration.

Dog rose syrup

Required ingredients:

peeled fresh fruits – 1.5 l;
sugar – 1.5 kg;
water – 2 l.

How to make rose canina syrup:

Boil water and add berries to the pan.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 30-45 minutes on low heat.
Remove the pan from the stove, wrap it in a towel, and let it brew for 10-12 hours.
Pour the broth into another container, squeeze out the berries, and add sugar.
Cook over medium heat until thickened (about 30-40 minutes after boiling).
Immediately pour into sterilized glass jars, bottles, and seal. Allow to cool naturally.

Store rose canina fruit syrup in the refrigerator or simply in a cool, dark place.

Alcohol tincture

You need to take 400-500 g of fresh whole or peeled canina rose fruits and pour them with a liter of vodka or ethyl alcohol diluted to the appropriate strength in a glass bottle or jar.

The container is left to infuse for 15-20 days in a dark place, vigorously shaking the contents daily. The finished tincture is filtered.

The tincture does not need to be stored in the refrigerator, but it must be protected from direct sunlight.

Uses of dog rosehip

Experts in the field of traditional medicine recommend remedies based on dog rose hips for many diseases. A preliminary consultation with a doctor is required.

For pancreatitis and gastritis

In case of exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to drink a quarter glass of the decoction three times a day, about half an hour before meals. In the remission stage, for prevention, the “dose” is reduced to 2 tbsp. l.

Important! You cannot add honey or lemon juice to the decoction; the pancreas may react negatively to this.

For liver diseases

Drink about a glass of decoction three times a day, half an hour before meals. To enhance the effect, before closing the pan and leaving the liquid to infuse, add 2-3 tbsp. l. oat flakes ground into flour.

The resulting product (you need to strain it, squeeze out the dog rose hips and oatmeal) drink a glass, three times a day, 1.5-2 hours after meals. In total, you need three courses of ten days with breaks between them of 2.5-3 weeks.

For hypertension

To normalize blood pressure, it is constantly recommended to drink any dog rose tea. In the acute stage of the disease, take half a glass of decoction or 1 tsp. syrup three times a day immediately after meals.To enhance the effect, you can prepare a remedy from a mixture of rose canina and cranberry fruits.

For a cold

For colds, a decoction of dog rose hips with the addition of dry raspberries helps. Prepare it as usual, drink it warm, about a liter per day. To relieve a sore throat, take 1/2 tsp after meals. syrup. Teas are recommended to prevent colds.

For weight loss

The calorie content of the infusion from the fruits of rose canina is about 50 kcal per 100 ml. It normalizes metabolism, activates digestion, and helps remove waste and toxins from the body. Those who are on a diet are recommended to drink about half a glass of the decoction 15-20 minutes before meals.

Contraindications

Like any remedy in demand in folk medicine, dog rose has contraindications for use:

chronic gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice;
hereditary predisposition to thrombophlebitis;
many diseases of the cardiovascular system, such as endocarditis;
hypotension;
frequent constipation;

Allergy to rose canina manifests itself with varying degrees of intensity

If you take canine rosehip-based products immoderately, vitamin C hypervitaminosis is quite likely. This is not life-threatening, but the symptoms are unpleasant:

general weakness, drowsiness;
increased body temperature, redness of the skin and mucous membranes;
persistent migraines;
attacks of dizziness and nausea;
stomach cramps, heartburn;
diarrhea.

In addition, when consumed regularly, ascorbic acid, contained in dog rose, negatively affects the condition of tooth enamel and oral mucosa. And the villi covering the seeds of rose canina, getting into the stomach and intestines, can damage the tissue.But this can be avoided if each time after taking the product, rinse your mouth thoroughly with warm water and carefully peel the fruits.

Important! Allergies to infusions, teas, and other products based on dog rose are a common occurrence. Before starting to use them, a test for individual intolerance is required.

Features of cultivation and care

Rosa canina, as is obvious from its description and photos of gardeners, is, in fact, a weed on the site. Caring for her takes a minimum of time and effort. Especially if you choose the right place to land.

Her "requirements":

good lighting;
availability of protection from cold drafts;
fertile soil (chernozem, loam, gray soil);
lack of groundwater approaching the soil surface closer than 2.5-3 m (the root system of the dog rose is very powerful, the roots go 4-5 m into the soil).

In the shade, the canina rose will not die, but it will bloom and bear fruit sparingly

Important! Dog rose, grown for medicinal purposes, is planted away from the road so that the leaves and fruits of the canina rose do not absorb harmful substances.

The best time to plant dog rose is spring. In the fall, you will have to carefully control soil moisture. Rose canina propagates easily both vegetatively (cuttings, layering) and generatively (seeds).

Caring for dog rose includes only standard agrotechnical measures:

Watering. In hot weather, young canina roses require 20-30 liters of water every 12-15 days, adults (already bearing fruit) - 30-40 liters. Often the plant can get by with natural precipitation.
Mulching. Not required, but highly recommended. Allows you to avoid weeding and loosening and increase the intervals between waterings.
Feeding.In fertile chernozem soil, dog rose does not need fertilizer. If the soil is poor, it is fed three times a season - at the beginning and at the end of the active growing season, after flowering. Rose canina reacts positively to both natural organic matter and store-bought fertilizers (universal or specialized - for ornamental flowering shrubs).
Trimming. It is necessary so that the dog rose does not “spoil the appearance” of the garden plot, and also to facilitate the collection of fruits. It is desirable that the bush consist of 12-15 shoots at the age of three years. All deformed branches growing downward, deep into the crown, are cut out in the fall. In spring, sanitary pruning is necessary.
Preparing for winter. Frost resistance down to -40 °C allows rose canina to survive even in Siberia and the Urals. Covering with humus or peat is recommended only for seedlings for which this is their first winter.

The dog rose easily tolerates pruning, even radical pruning.

Unlike garden roses, dog roses rarely get sick. Pest attacks are also an exceptional phenomenon for him. In principle, competent care is sufficient for prevention. But many gardeners, to be on the safe side, in spring and autumn treat the canina rose itself and the soil in the tree trunk sequentially with solutions of a fungicide and a broad-spectrum insecticide.

Important! For dog rose hips, it is better to choose preparations of biological origin.

Collection and preparation

Fruit harvesting begins when the skin has completely acquired the red-orange hue characteristic of dog rose. This is approximately the last ten days of August or the first days of September.

The fruits of rose canina are removed along with the sepals. During the collection process, specimens with mechanical and other damage are rejected.It is advisable to start processing immediately. In extreme cases, you can wait 2-3 days. The berries are cut in half and the seeds are carefully removed.

Dog rose hips are collected wearing gloves and thick clothing.

The fruits of the dog rose plant along with the sepals are dried in different ways, but in any case there is no need to wash them:

naturally - in the attic or outside, in any sunny, well-ventilated place, providing protection from direct rays;
in the oven;
in an electric dryer.

The berries are always laid out in one layer and, if possible, so that they do not touch each other. Drying is completed when the dog rose hardens and can be easily broken with your fingers. But the skin should not turn black, maintaining its original shade.

Store dried dog rose hips in a cool, dark place with relatively low humidity, placed in paper bags, linen bags, hermetically sealed plastic containers, and glass jars.

The shelf life of dried rose canina fruits is two years.

Important! The collection of dog rose needs to be done before the first frost. Even with short-term exposure to negative temperatures, most of the beneficial substances are lost.

Conclusion

Growing dog rose is an easy task for any gardener. The canina rose is planted for its fruits, which have a very rich chemical composition, which makes them useful in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases. However, we must remember that traditional medicine is far from “harmless”. If used incorrectly and if there are contraindications, serious harm to health is possible.