Rosehips are the fruits of roses, the pulp of all rose hips is edible. However, the removal of seeds and fine hair (the “itching powder”) is laborious. This vernacular name “potato rose” refers to its wrinkly leaves, which resemble those of the potato plant. Further English and French vernacular names, on the other hand, refer to the look of fruits that resemble tomatoes. The potato or beach rose forms huge populations on the North Sea coasts, but here it is a neophyte that endangers native plant species and is therefore fought – to the regret of all lovers of this beautiful and wonderfully fragrant rose.

Rosehips can be used to make fruit tea and Hagebuttenmark (also called “Hägenmark”, “Hiffenmark”, “Buttenmost”). Dried and ground, they even replace flour and can be mixed with it. The fruits remain on the bush throughout the winter and into spring. The later they are harvested, the sweeter they are. They contain enough sugar to make a fruit brandy (“pálinka”).

• Edible Fruits
• Type of Fruit Rosehip Accessory Fruit
• Culinary Group Wild Fruits
• Taste Sweet Tart
• Trivial Names Kartoffelrose, Apfel-Rose, Japan-Rose, Sylter Rose, Kamtschatka-Rose, Rugosa rose, Beach rose, Japanese rose, Ramanas rose, Beach tomato, Sea tomato, Saltspray rose, Potato rose, Turkestan rose, Beach plums, Rosier rugueux, Rosier du Japon, Tomate de mer, Tomate de plage, Rosier d'embruns, Rosier de plage, ハマナス, 浜茄子, 浜梨
• Size (Fruit) 5 cm
• Taxonomy Rosaceae (Rose Family) Rosa rugosa
• Origin East-Asia (Map)
• Locality Garden of my parents 2018