Rose Uses and Plant Monograph

You don’t need to be an herbalist to know that roses are for love and are a symbol of the heart. Everywhere that roses grow, we are enchanted with them. We are so enraptured by roses that we’ve bred thousands of different varieties in all colors and sizes and growth patterns.

When it comes to herbal medicine, the best roses often are found on wild hedges or heritage varieties more specifically these are roses that still maintain their delicate smell. Roses without smell or roses that have been grown with pesticides should be avoided. Be aware that florist roses are often doused with many chemicals.

Rose for Heart Health

Plain and simple, roses are for the heart. Roses are given as a sign of love. And what better than a “love herb” as an aphrodisiac? The silkiness of the petals, the sweet smell that emanates, and the beauty of the flowers all awaken the senses and call out to the heart. It’s no surprise that roses are often used for courting and large bouquets are often found at weddings and given for anniversaries. The same large bouquets that celebrate a loving union can also be found as a sign of love and respect at a funeral hall or memorial celebration.

While science may tell us that the heart is purely a physical organ incapable of emotion, roses know otherwise. Just as the heart experiences many emotions, roses aren’t just for love. Herbalists also turn to roses for heartache and heartbreaks. In herbalist David Winston’s famous Grief Relief formula you’ll find rose petals in combination with hawthorn leaves and mimosa bark.

Simply smelling roses can uplift the heart. One study found that women with high risk for postpartum depression who regularly smelled rose oil had significant improvements in both anxiety and depression.¹ Researchers who were curious about exactly how rose oil works found that it decreased breathing rates, blood oxygen saturation, and systolic blood pressure when applied to the skin.²

Just as roses are used for the emotional heart, they also support the physical health of the heart, showing us that it’s impossible to draw a line between the two. When taken daily in large amounts (40 grams per day), rose hip powder has been shown to improve blood pressure and plasma cholesterol, thus reducing cardiovascular risk factors.³

Rose for Healing Wounds

Rose petals and leaves are reliable astringents that can tighten and tone tissues. Astringents can be used on wounds to pull the tissues back together or to decrease excess secretions. They can also be employed when there is too much laxity in tissues, such as lax gums causing loose teeth or lax intestinal tissues from chronic illness or excessive diarrhea.

Canker sores (called aphthous ulcers) are one example of how rose can heal and soothe tissues. In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study, a mouthwash made with rose extract was shown to be effective at relieving pain, decreasing inflammation, and reducing the size and number of ulcers in those suffering from recurrent canker sores.⁴

Rose for Inflammation and Pain

With their bioflavonoids and other antioxidants, roses are wonderful for modulating inflammation. This can be especially helpful when there is pain associated with inflammation. Studies have shown that regular ingestion of rose hips can decrease the pain and inflammation associated with both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.⁵,⁶

Nutrient Dense Rose Hips (Fruits)

Rose hips are famously high in Vitamin C. When fresh off the bush they often have more vitamin C per weight than an orange. Vitamin C is a delicate thing, though, and it begins to wane quickly after picking and is further degraded by drying or by heat. Contrary to popular belief, a decreased amount of Vitamin C doesn’t make the dried or heated rose hips useless. Dried and/or heated rose hips are still rich with nutrients and bioflavonoids with many health benefits. Herbalist Susan Marynowksi points out, “Most Americans are getting plenty of Vitamin C in their diets, while we are sometimes deficient in the other nutrients provided by dried and/or heated plant preparations, such as minerals and flavonoids and polyphenols.” The best way to ensure you are getting lots of Vitamin C is to eat a variety of fresh whole fruits and vegetables just after they have been harvested.

Plant Preparations

What can’t you do with roses? Rose petals impart their beautiful scent and healing gifts into a variety of preparations.

Fresh rose petals can be infused into honey, vinegar, or alcohol (tincture). The petals can be dried and used in teas. Both fresh and dried petals can be used in cooking. The petals can be infused into oil for a variety of topical applications, from massage oils to salves or creams.

Rose hips are a nice trail side nibble, taking care to avoid the seeds and irritating hairs beneath the fleshy surface. To make removing the seeds easier, fresh rose hips can be frozen and then cut open to remove the seeds. The fresh fruit pulp can be used in cooking, infused into honey, or dried for later use. Rose hips can also be dried whole and used whenever you are making a preparation that will be strained to remove the irritating hairs on the seeds. Rose hip syrup and rose hip vinegar are delicious examples.

The seeds are commercially pressed to release rose hip oil that is highly favored for cosmetic uses.

 

 

Dosage Suggestions:

Rose Petals:
Tea: 5-28 grams
Tincture: 1:5 (dried) or 1:2 (fresh), 30-40%, 3-5 mL, three times a day

Rose Hips:
Tea or powder: 5-45 grams per day

Both the petals and fruits (hips) are considered to be foods and can be safely taken in large amounts.

 

Special Considerations

Avoid using roses that have been sprayed with pesticides. Almost all florist roses will contain traces of pesticides, as they are not meant for consumption.

Rose essential oil boasts an intoxicating scent and a steep price. It takes a huge quantity of roses to make a single ounce of essential oil. Most of the reasonably priced rose essential oils on the market actually contain a little bit of rose essential oil diluted in a carrier such as jojoba oil, and this is stated on the packaging. If you find a cheap product that claims to be rose essential oil, then it has most likely been diluted or adulterated with some other plant.

 

 

Written by Rosalee de la Forêt

Rosalee de la Forêt is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She’s a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. Explore Rosalee's website and podcast. All content and photos in this article are © Rosalee de la Forêt.