Rose |
|
| Common Name | Rose |
| Scientific Name | Rosy species |
| There are more than 10, 000 varieties of the rose-the flower of love-because this showy, aromatic, flowering herb has long been the favourite of hybridizers wherever it is grown. Sweet-smelling herbal tea can be made from the petals and rose hips of most varieties. Red rose petals are considered best for petal tea, and the most sought after rose hips come from wild varieties found on sandy beaches, roadsides, waste places, and fields throughout the temperate zones. Legend has it that all roses were white until Aphrodite pricked her foot on a rose thorn, colouring the flower with her blood. The Persian philosopher Zarathustra claimed the rose hip was mother of all nutritious fruits. Hips are noted for their high concentrations of vitamins A, B, E, K, P, and especially C-a cup of rose hips is said to contain as much vitamin C as 150 oranges. Flower tea is believed to fortify the heart and brain and to relieve female ailments, stomach disorders, and catarrh. The genus name Rosa comes from the Greek word rodon, which means "red." | |
| Plant | Perennial or tender perennial, depending on the variety. Roses have thorned, erect stems bearing toothed, alternate leaves. Wild flowers are usually single with five petals in shades of white or red, but cultivated varieties can be double and multi-petalled and come in a wide range of colours. Blossoms are followed by the smooth red or orange hips (fruits). |
| Height | Several inches to several feet, depending on the variety. |
| Soil | Most roses require a firm, well-enriched, and well drained soil. |
| Exposure | Full sun. |
| Propagation | Wild varieties can be grown from seeds planted during the third lunar phase. Hybridized varieties require either cuttings or grafting's to rootstock's of stronger varieties. |
| Care | Spacing, pruning, and care depend on the variety and the climate where grown. Consult a book on rose culture to determine what you need. |
| Part used for Tea | Petals gathered before the flower unfolds or hips gathered in early autumn. |
| Taste | Hips-fruity, aromatic, pleasant tasting. Petals -delicate, exotic, fragrant, like sipping a cupful of flowers. |
| How to Brew | By INFUSION: 1 teaspoon dried, or 2 teaspoons fresh petals for each cup of boiling water. Steep to taste. Or grind dried hips into powder, and use 1 teaspoon per cup of boiling water. Steep for about 5 minutes, and add a little honey. Both teas are good hot or cold. |
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