OUR WILD NOOTKA ROSE
Copyright © 2006 Joan Gerteis
Most of us on St. Patrick's Day have heard or sung about the wild Irish rose. Well, actually there is a connection between our common wild rose and Ireland. It's Linnean, more formal and proper genus name is Rosa – Celtic for red. The species name derived from a western Vancouver Island Sound, Nootka, where non-native newcomers to the area first described it. Spliced together we have the name: Rosa nutkana – the Nootka Rose.
Shrubs possessing rather stout thorns, Nootka Roses range in height from several to 6 to some 13 feet. They are commonly found in a variety of more open habitats in our region – along fence lines and roads, near streams, in clearings and often not far from shorelines. A large colonization is to be found at the boat dock at Camano Island State Parks. Yes, they're numerous as well as widespread.
May through July, five-petaled, rather large (1 ½ to 3inch), pale pink, fragrant, showy flowers are produced. Later orange to red to purple-red, round and smooth seed pods or “hips” are in evidence, which are the roses' fruits. Nootka hips can be well over ½ inch in diameter, contain many seeds and to the palate are generally rather dry and sour.
For centuries peoples all over the world have found multiple uses for rose plants other than simply using them as ornaments. And we know that rose flowers to many symbolize romance and love. But there are other sadder tales associated with wild roses and their berry-like hips as well.
Native Americans and early day settlers used the hips as food, most commonly as survival forage in times when starvation would rear its ugly head. Since the hips adhered to the plant over winter, they could be picked and eaten during times when other fruits and foodstuffs were not readily available. And fortunately they were rendered somewhat more edible in cold regions after frosts had begun breaking them down.
An early day explorer by the name of Nathaniel Wyeth, near Walla Walla in 1832, wrote of finding “a squaw and some children", who "had no food but rose hips of which we made our supper”.
And during the bleak days of World War II, the besieged English very resourcefully used rose hip pulp to make jams and jellies, as, of course, citrus fruits were unavailable. They understood that the pulp of a cupful of rose hips contained about as much vitamin C as a dozen oranges.
Rose fruits are sunshine
Beauties to see
Not to mention
Its vitamin C
And not only the “big C” is contained in them, for the hips also have within their inner mass vitamin A, iron, calcium, and phosphorus – a veritable treasure-trove of nutrients. The seeds are not to be dismissed either, as they are a source of vitamin E.
Native Americans, even in plentiful days, found the tender young rose shoots themselves quite edible. They also prepared as eyewash from the plant. And we might keep in mind when out and about that they felt chewed or macerated leaves had great medicinal value when applied to bee stings.
Rose water, essentially water containing oil distilled from roses, was popular in decades past as a perfume, scent, and flavoring – dried petals having long been used a room fresheners. And today's hikers, it is said, find rose hips serve as pleasant trailside breath fresheners. So, not too surprisingly, modern day health food and associated stores have amply stocked their shelves with rose and rose hip products.
Denser thickets of wild roses, although at times a thorny problem for ranchers and property owners and those hunting, fishing, and seeking recreation in the great outdoors, do provide food and/or cover for birds such as pheasants and quail and various other creatures.
How ‘bout some refreshing rose hip tea? If not wanting to fork over dollars to purchase as common a commodity as tea made from hips, I'd agree. Do therefore consider preparing a personal tea by simply drying the hips, grinding them, and brewing as one would tea leaves; adding perhaps a little honey to sweeten the flavor and supplement the nutritional value.
Unassuming and attractive plants, and plants historically far from useless are the wild Nootka Roses.
Pat Nash
Beach Watcher
Class of '94