Contributed by Julie Cascio, Mat-Su District Cooperative Extension
The Alaska Wild Roses, Rosa aciculariso or Rosa nutkana share the small oblong fruit they produce this time of the year.
Fruit of Roses
In late summer, the bright red fruit of the wild rose bush, called hips, may be eaten. The fleshy rind surrounds many whitish seeds. The rind is hard, but softens after the first frost - the best time to eat them. The riper they are, the sweeter they’ll be. The stem, blossom end, and seeds of the rose hip should be removed before they are eaten. The seeds have two prongs that might lodge in the intestines and cause intestinal irritation. Remove them before using the hip, or strain through a fine strainer.
Rose hips are a great source of vitamin C. When compared to oranges, rose hips contain between 20 to 40 percent more vitamin C, 25% more iron, 28% more calcium and 25 times more vitamin A. This tiny fruit is also a good source of vitamin E, selenium and B-vitamins.
Rose hips may be used for tea, in baked products and in jelly. Or made into puree to make jams, marmalade and catsup. Dried rose hips may be added to cereal or pulverized and added to baked products.
Gather: Pick hips in an area free from pesticides, herbicides, automobile exhaust fumes or other contaminants. Wash them before use to remove dust, insect or animal debris
Clean and Store: Rose hips should be cleaned soon after collection. Remove the stem and blossom ends, wash the hips with cold water and set out to dry. They may be stored covered in the refrigerator for one week.
Freeze: Arrange fresh rose hips in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer. When frozen, transfer the hips to freezer bags or containers. Properly frozen rose hips will last up to two years.
Dry: Slit the fresh rose hips down the side and remove the seeds with the point of a sharp knife. This is easiest with slightly underripe hips. If the hip is are too underripe they will be hard to pierce and not yield any pulp. If overripe, the pulp will be mushy and difficult to separate from the seeds.
Spread hips with seeds removed on a tray in a well-ventilated room for a few days or in dehydrator at 135°F for a few hours, until crisp and brittle.
Rose Hip Juice: Wash and remove stem and blossom ends of hips. Combine 6 cups rose hips and 3 cups water in a saucepan. Bring quickly to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain the liquid through jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth into a bowl. Discard the pulp. Freeze of can for long-term storage. Yield: 2 cups
Rose Petal Jelly
4 cups rose hip juice
6 cups sugar
1 package powdered pectin (1 ¾ ounces)
Sterilize pint or half-pint canning jars and prepare lids. Measure sugar and set aside. Measure the rose hip juice into a large saucepan. Add pectin and stir until dissolved. Place on high heat; stir constantly and bring to a full rolling boil. Stir in the sugar. Bring again to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam. Immediately pour jelly into hot canning jars, leaving ¼ inch head space. Wipe jar rims and add prepared two-piece lids. Process five minutes in a boiling water bath. Rose hip jelly may take up to one week to set. Yield: 10 cups
To learn how to prepare puree, make fruit leathers, and other recipes using rose hips, search for “wild roses” in cespubs.uaf.edu.
Shakespeare, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”