Dog rose

Rosa canina

Hedgerow rose with vitamin-C rich hips for syrup and tea. It spreads in Australia and parts of North America, so plant it only where it is native.

Type: shrub · berries and small fruit
Hardiness: zones 4 to 8
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 8 ft tall, 8 ft wide
Harvest: September to November
From: Europe, N. Africa and W. Asia
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.

Good for: food, wildlife, pollinators, traditional use.

Native to: Temperate Europe, Mediterranean, Caucasus. Hardy in zones 4 to 8.

The story

Dog rose hips have been gathered across Europe since the Stone Age; during the Second World War British schoolchildren collected tons of them for vitamin C syrup when citrus could not be imported, and the Germans, Swedes and Bulgarians still make hip soup and tea.

Planting

Full sun or part shade, any drained soil; plant bare-root in winter as a hedge, 2 feet apart. Thorny, arching, to 10 feet.

Growing

Water the first year, then nothing. Cut old canes to the ground every few years. It is the rootstock of garden roses.

Harvest and use

Hips ripen red in autumn and soften after frost; halve, scrape out seeds and hairs, and dry or simmer for syrup, tea and jelly.

What to watch for

Rose rust and aphids, mostly cosmetic.

Safety

Medicinal uses here are shared as history, not advice. Kitchen amounts are fine for most people, but teas, tinctures and supplements can interact with medicines and aren't safe for everyone, especially in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for children, or with liver or kidney problems. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking any plant as medicine.

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More berries and small fruit

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home