Sweet Briar (Rosa rubiginosa)

Family: Rosaceae | Edibility: Edible (2/5)

Rosa rubiginosa is a deciduous Shrub growing to 2.5 m (8ft) by 2.5 m (8ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, flies, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Nuts/Seeds, Shoots, Flowers

Harvest Seasons: Spring, Early Summer, Late Summer, Fall, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

taste is best after a frost. — It is used in making jellies etc.; The taste is best after a frost.; The fruit is up to 25mm in diameter, but there is only a thin layer of flesh surrounding the many seeds.; Some care has to be taken when eating this fruit, see the notes above on known hazards.

Habitat & North American Range

Open copses and old hedgerows. Usually found on calcareous soils, it is one of the first shrubs to colonize chalk grassland. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)