Nootka Wild Rose (Rosa nutkana)

Family: Rosaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

A robust prickly native western rose reaching 6-10 feet with stout paired spines at each node, large fragrant five-petaled pink flowers up to 3 inches across, and large, fleshy, globular bright red hips that persist through winter.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Flowers, Shoots

Harvest Seasons: Spring, Early Summer, Fall, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Sweet-tart, floral, reminiscent of dried cranberries, apples, and honeyed citrus with deep tang — Large fleshy hips harvested in late fall or winter after frost softens the pulp; Split open and seeds/irritating internal hairs scraped out; outer fleshy skin eaten raw or dried; Simmered with water and strained through cheesecloth to make vibrant scarlet wild rosehip syrup; Fragrant spring pink flower petals eaten fresh in salads or candied in sugar; Young spring shoots peeled of prickly outer bark and eaten raw as crisp juicy potherbs

Habitat & North American Range

Shoreline thickets, moist meadows, river margins, openings in coniferous forests, and roadsides. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)