There are a variety if "tea roses" that do produce these luscious little berries. Many hybrid tea roses are so packed with petals that pollinating bees or other insects can’t access the centers. Roses most known for their hip displays usually have single, semi-double or otherwise cupped bloom form.
Rosa Rugosa is a large shrub-type rose with a purple single 4-inch flowers and is one of the few wild roses that will flower repeatedly. The flowers produce a strong "Old Rose" fragrance on this sturdy bush that will grow up to 7 feet tall and just as wide with many vicious thorns. It is extremely hardy and disease resistant and produces an abundance of red, tomato-shaped hips that measure an inch or more in diameter later in the season. Zones 3 - 9.
Rosa Gallica Officinalis is a small shrub-type rose with crimson semi-double 3-inch flowers with gold stamen. Although it is once-flowering, it is very free-flowering, producing many blossoms with an "Old Rose fragrance. This hardy bush only gets about 4 feet tall and wide. The flowers are followed by small round hips in the autumn. An extremely healthy, tough and reliable variety. Zones 4 - 9.
R. gallica ‘Officinalis’ is a rose of great antiquity from c.1400 or before. For centuries it was grown for its medicinal qualities, which is why it is widely known as the ‘Apothecary’s Rose’. It is also said to be the ‘Red Rose of Lancaster’, the emblem chosen by the House of Lancaster at the time of the War of the Roses.
Rosa Rugosa Alba is a medium sized shrub-type rose with a single pure white flower and a strong, very sweet fragrance. This repeat flowering bush grows to about 6 feet tall and wide and produces exceptionally large, reddish-orange hips in the fall. It is said that this rose has the best tasting rose petals. It flowers continuously throughout the Summer. Zones 3 - 9.
Once you choose the variety of rose that you would like to grow, make sure that you are not spraying them with pesticides if you are planning on harvesting the rose hips for consumption. This hold true for any plant that you intend to harvest parts of for consumption. I need to choose a very hardy variety as I live in hardiness zone 5a (-20°F to -15°F).
Rose Hip Recipes
Preparation: Pick ripe rose hips after the first frost in the fall when they've turned bright orange or red. The frost helps sweeten the flavor. Trim off the stem and blossom ends, cut the hips in half and remove the seeds, then wash well.
(this recipe has been around since the 1700s)
1 pound prepared rose hips (about 4 quarts)
1 cup of water Sugar
In a large pan, add the rose hips and water. Bring to a
boil, then cover and simmer until very soft--about 20 minutes
(add more water if necessary). Press or strain the mixture
through a sieve to remove any seeds and to reduce large chunks
of hips. Add one pound of sugar (about 3 1/2 cups) to one
pound of pulp and simmer. Check the taste and add more sugar
if desired. Cook until the mixture has thickened to jam-like
consistency. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. This is good
to eat when you have a sore throat.
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(This is from an old 16th century recipe used to make rose hip tart)
1 1/2 cup prepared rose hips
3/4 cup water 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ginger 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Simmer the prepared rose hips in water until soft -- about
10-15 minutes. Stir in sugar, spices and lemon juice and
simmer for 5 minutes. Use puree for tarts, ice cream toppings
or to eat as a sauce.
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Prepare the rose hips as described above and place in a
single layer on a drying screen. Allow to completely dry,
then store in an air-tight jar in a cool, dark place. Hips
may be used whole or slightly broken. Pour boiling water over
the hips and allow to steep for 2 minutes. Strain.
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http://www.springvalleyroses.com/inthegarden/roserecipes.html
Harvesting, Drying and Storing
Rose hips should always be harvested after the first frost, when they are the sweetest. They should be firm with a little give in texture and bright red or orange in color. If the hips are shriveled or are not the right color, do not collect them.
Prepare the rose hips as quickly as possible after being harvested so as to not compromise their nutritional value. They can be used whole, but they have seeds inside of them that have a hairy surface and can cause irritation if eaten. If the rose hips are to be incorporated into anything other than a jam, it is recommended that the seeds be removed. To remove the seeds, trim the ends of the hips and then cut them in half using scissors. Remove seeds and rinse in cold water. Drain and pat dry.
Rose Petal Wine
6 cups fragrant rose petals
1/4 lb white raisins
1 gallon water
2 lbs granulated sugar
2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 crushed Campden tablet
Rhine wine yeast and nutrient
Pick the rose petals just before starting, so they're fresh. Boil 6 pints water and pour over all ingredients except yeast and pectic enzyme, stirring gently to dissolve sugar. Cover with cloth or plastic wrap and set in warm place for 24 hours. Add pectic enzyme, yeast and half remaining water. Set aside until vigorous fermentation subsides (7-10 days), stirring daily. Do not exceed 10 days. Strain liqueur into secondary fermentation vessel, top up to neck with water, and fit fermentation trap. Rack after 30 days, then again after additional 30 days. Bottle when clear and store in dark, cool place. It will be fit to drink after 6 months, but will improve enormously after a year.
Harvesting, Drying and Storing
Rose hips should always be harvested after the first frost, when they are the sweetest. They should be firm with a little give in texture and bright red or orange in color. If the hips are shriveled or are not the right color, do not collect them.
Prepare the rose hips as quickly as possible after being harvested so as to not compromise their nutritional value. They can be used whole, but they have seeds inside of them that have a hairy surface and can cause irritation if eaten. If the rose hips are to be incorporated into anything other than a jam, it is recommended that the seeds be removed. To remove the seeds, trim the ends of the hips and then cut them in half using scissors. Remove seeds and rinse in cold water. Drain and pat dry.
Once the rose hips are trimmed and ready for use, they can either be prepared fresh or dehydrated. Dehydrate them using your dehydrator. If you don't own a dehydrator, lay them out on a drying screen and place them in a dark, dry, and warm location until they shrivel up, much like a raisin. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Rose hips are great to use in jellies, sauces, soups, seasonings, or tea. If the recipe calls for them to be cooked, do not use aluminum pots, pans, or utensils, as it will deplete the vitamin C levels and alter the color of the rose hips.
