Rosehips are in season now, and this is the best time to gather them. After the first frosts, their sugars and nutrients concentrate, making them richer, sweeter, and more potent. If you’re starting to notice those bright red hips out on the hedgerows, this is your moment.
The rosehip is simply the seed that forms after the flower, and you’ll find them on any rose plant. All roses are edible, flowers and hips, just be mindful to only harvest from plants you know haven’t been sprayed.
The hips of Rosa canina and Rosa rugosa are especially prized, but really any spray free rosehip can be used.
They’re incredibly rich in vitamin C, along with vitamin E, essential fatty acids and beta-carotene. One of the most accessible and powerful winter tonics. Traditionally used for colds, flu, and recovery, this is the time of year I start reaching for them more intentionally.
During World War II, when fruit imports into the UK were cut off, rosehips became vital. The government organised widespread harvesting and produced rosehip syrup to keep vitamin C levels up across the population. Children were given it through the winters for decades after.
They have such a beautiful flavor too, fruity, slightly tangy, a little astringent. I love adding finely ground rosehips into tea blends, especially with nettle. For a stronger medicinal infusion, I’ll leave them to steep overnight, then strain well (those tiny hairs inside can be irritating on the throat if not removed).
There’s so much you can do with them, teas, syrups, jams, jellies, vinegars.
The main way I use rosehips is in my botanical skincare, especially in my best selling rosehip facial oil. The oil is incredibly nourishing for the skin, rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids that support repair and regeneration. It’s one of those simple, beautiful ingredients that really works. Softening, brightening, helping with elasticity, scars, and overall skin health.
I used to travel down to Central Otago to harvest wild rosehips where they thrive in that hot, dry, mountainous climate. Haven’t made it there the last few years, but I’ve been lucky. My friend and fellow herbalist Loran, based out of Wānaka, has been gathering them and sharing her harvest with me.
It matters to me that plants are harvested with care, with awareness, and respect for the land. And it’s always a good feeling knowing exactly where something has come from, and the hands that gathered it.
Roses themselves have been woven through human story for thousands of years. Symbols of love, beauty and royalty, but also something deeper. It’s thought they were first cultivated in Persia and China, and appear in artwork as far back as ancient Egyptian tombs.
The word rosary comes from the Latin rosarium, a garland of roses. The wild briar rose carries associations with love, death, secrecy and divination. In Roman times, roses were hung above tables to signal that conversations were to be kept in confidence, giving rise to the phrase “sub rosa”.
In France, the briar rose was sometimes called “Rose du Diable”, the Devil’s rose, with stories that it was planted in an attempt to climb back to heaven. I always love how these plants carry so much story alongside their medicine.
If you’re wanting to go deeper into working with plants like this, my Grassroots Herbalism Guide is a really beautiful place to start or expand from. It’s a practical, down to earth guide to foraging, identifying, and using wild plants for both food and medicine, with a strong focus on building confidence and connection with what’s growing around you.
It weaves together nourishment, simple remedies, seasonal awareness, and ways to bring plants into everyday life, without overwhelm or complication.
Rosehip syrup recipe
A simple way to capture rosehips at their peak after the first frosts, when they’re richest and most concentrated.
You’ll need:
• Fresh or dried rosehips (from spray free plants)
• Water
• Sugar or raw honey
Method:
• Rinse rosehips well and remove stems and any debris
• Lightly crush them to help release their goodness (mortar and pestle or roughly chop)
• Place in a pot and cover with water
• Bring to a very gentle simmer (do not hard boil) for 10–20 minutes
• Turn off the heat and let steep for a few hours, or ideally overnight for a stronger extraction
• Strain through a fine cloth or muslin, squeezing well to extract all liquid
• Strain thoroughly again if needed, as fine hairs inside rosehips can be irritating
At this point you have your rosehip infusion.
To make syrup with sugar (shelf-stable version):
• Measure your strained liquid
• Add equal amount of sugar (1:1 ratio)
• Warm gently, stirring until fully dissolved (do not boil)
• Pour into sterilised bottles or jars
• Store in the fridge once opened
To make syrup with honey (raw, medicinal version):
• Let infusion cool completely to lukewarm or room temperature
• Stir in raw honey to taste (roughly ½–1 cup honey per 1 cup liquid)
• Mix well until fully combined
• Bottle and store in the fridge
How to use:
• Take a spoonful daily through winter as a nourishing tonic
• Stir into warm water or herbal tea
• Drizzle over porridge or use in winter drinks for a tangy, vitamin-rich boost
