Rosehip

Rosa canina

Rosehips are the red or orange fruits that follow wild rose flowers, brightening hedgerows from late summer into autumn. The familiar hips of dog rose have long been gathered for syrups, jellies, teas and preserves, while birds and mammals depend upon them as seasonal food. Their colour makes them easy to notice; their irritating inner hairs mean they must always be prepared with care.

Habitat & Identification

Dog rose is a native deciduous climbing shrub found throughout Britain in hedgerows, scrub, woodland edges and field margins. Its long arching stems use strongly curved prickles to climb among neighbouring shrubs. Leaves are divided into paired, toothed leaflets, and the lightly scented flowers have five pink or white petals, usually appearing in May and June.

After flowering, oval hips develop in small clusters and ripen from orange to glossy red between August and October. A typical hip is around 1–2cm long and contains many seeds surrounded by fine hairs. Dog rose can be confused with other wild and naturalised roses, including field rose, sweet briar and Japanese rose. Use the whole plant—flowers, leaves, prickles, sepals and fruits—for identification rather than relying on a hip alone.