Dog rose

 

The dog rose (Rosa canina) is the ancestor of the cultivated garden rose and has been a symbol of the British monarchy and England itself ever since it was adopted by King Henry VII as his official emblem, the “Tudor rose”.

However, the use of the word ‘dog’ to describe a plant usually implies that it is something of no worth, and that does sound very strange in this case.

One possible explanation is that the ancient Greeks believed that the roots of the plant could cure a man who had been bitten by a mad dog. The Romans adopted the name Rosa canina and that translates to English directly as dog rose. The name has therefore stuck.

The dog rose is common in hedgerows and scrubland throughout England and Wales although rare in Scotland. It is a climbing plant with arching stems that can grow up to 12 feet (280cm) long. The stems bear strongly hooked thorns and each leaf has two or three pairs of toothed leaflets.

The plant flowers in June and July with the light pink flowers being flat with large petals. The fruits, known as hips, are oval and smooth.

Whatever the dog rose’s supposed usefulness in curing the bites of rabid dogs, the syrup made from rose hips is rich in vitamin C.

© John Welford