Rose hip kernel oil

Rose hip bush & rose hip fruit

Rose hip oil, rose hip seed oil or wild rose oil is a vegetable oil which is obtained from the seeds of the non-toxic gleaning fruits of various rose species, especially the dog rose.

The wild fruit probably originates from the shrubs of the common dog rose (Rosa canina L) and the Kamchatka rose (Rosa rugosa L). Today, there are over 150 different wild rose varieties. However, the dog rose is the best known. The stems of the up to 4 m high rose hip bushes are covered with thorns and decorated with round to oval leaves. These are darker coloured on the upper side than on the underside. The flowery-scented, pink-coloured flowers can be seen from May onwards. Already in June the beautiful flowering period ends. This is when the ovaries (rose hips) are formed from the flowers. Since rose hips contain many small nuts, they are considered to be a collective fruit. The nuts should not be eaten or processed, as the fine, barbed hairs cause itching on contact with the skin. Many people remember the rose hip as an itching powder from childhood.

Ripening between September and October, the orange-red to red, round rosehip fruit tastes pleasantly fresh when eaten raw and, when cooked, produces a jam with a characteristic taste or a juice rich in vitamin C. Alternatively, rosehip wine or liqueur is made from the grated and fermented rosehips. The dried fruits are used to make the pleasantly sour tasting rose hip tea. However, the easily broken, lignified hairs sitting on the bottom of the flower must be removed beforehand, as they cause itching.