Rosehip
Rosehip is one of the plants found in Pagès products, its fresh and tangy taste brings a slight note of pep to our creations.
The Rosehip, a shrub with many surprising stories
Origins of rosehip
The exact origin of the Rosehip is rather unclear. Today, we are simply able to say that this plant has always flourished in Europe, Asia and North Africa.
It is said that the term "Rosehip" would come from the Greek word "kunorhodon" meaning "dog rose" referring to the properties attributed to the root of the Rosehip. Bearer of many vernacular names, the Rosehip has been used for various purposes.
The Persians held in high esteem the modest « gratte-cul » ("butt scratcher"), that is the name given to the fruits of the Rosehip. They apparently used it to dissolve the calculations and reduce excessively abundant menstruation. The fruit of the Rosehip gets its familiar nickname from its composition: the small hairs and grains present inside the fruit would have caused itching on several people handling them. The term "ass scratcher" and " itching powder " would have been used since then.
The root of the plant was used to heal a person bitten by a dog. It is said that the healers would make an omelette with the grated root of Rosehip and feed it to people injured by the dog. This magic recipe was apparently very effective! It is for this reason that we call the Rosehip "dog rose" but also because the plant allowed to heal dogs from rabies! Many virtues are used to talk about Rosehip.
Characteristics of rosehip
Name: Rosa canima
Family: Rosaceae
Species: Wild shrub
The Rosehip is an elegant shrub that can reach up to 2 or 3 metres in height. It is common in hedges, wastelands and borders. A very vigorous plant, it grows on all types of soil but still prefers humus-rich and regularly sunny soils.
It is mainly found in Europe, West Asia and North Africa. Its long stems, erect and curved, are covered with hooked stings bearing leaves composed of toothed leaflets and beautiful five-petalled flowers. Rather fragile, these flowers have a light pink colour and are sometimes even white. They flower from May to July at least. In autumn, small red pears full of ferocious and well-known "itchy powder" appear. This hair surrounds coarse grains also known as a "butt scratcher".
From a botanical point of view, it is not a real fruit but what is called a "false fruit". The flower stalk stretches and swells into a kind of bag containing the ovaries. After fertilization, the wall of the bag reddens and becomes fleshy. The hard grains it contains are real fruits because, for a botanist, a fruit is a mature ovary.
In France, there are nearly thirty different species of wild roses. They are distinguished by the presence or absence of thorns on the stems, the colour of the flowers and the appearance of Rosehips, hairless or hairy. Their quality varies greatly from one species to another, and sometimes even from one shrub to another.
Uses of rosehip
In Europe more generally, Rosehips are used to prepare syrups, jams or desserts.
From a culinary point of view, the sweet uses of Rosehips are the most frequent, however Rosehips also goes very well with salty dishes. Rosehips are ideal for making amazing tomato sauces to accompany or garnish pizzas. It should be noted, however, that it is necessary to crush them well with a puree press beforehand in order to avoid any trace of " itching powder " in your compositions.
Rosehip is also found in the world of cosmetics. Oily macerate of Rosehip petals is produced to tighten the tissues and prevent the appearance of stretch marks, skin ulcers, wrinkles and even scars.
Benefits of rosehip
The Rosehip is said to have many virtues. The grains present in its fruit are appreciated to prevent flu.
It is also said that Rosehip flowers are slightly laxative, while the leaves are used as an astringent against diarrhoea.
