When you think of a rose, you might immediately picture the iconic deep red blossoms coiled into a circular arrangement. But there are actually hundreds of species in the rose family, including 9 species of native roses in California – and they look nothing like the traditional flower we usually think of. California Wild Rose (Rosa californica) is a native rose species in California that provides both humans and wildlife with beautiful edible blossoms and fruits.

Plant Description

California Wild Rose is winter-deciduous and therefore stands out amongst dormant summer plants with its dark green toothed leaves, light pink 5-petal flowers, and orange to red fruits. It occurs in many habitat types including wetland-riparian areas, chaparral, and valley grasslands.

All rose plants produce fruits, commonly referred to as rose hips. They are typically round and orange to red in color, resembling miniature apples. Rose hips start to appear in late summer and can stay on the plant through the winter. They provide an excellent food source for local wildlife, especially given how long they can stay on the plant between fall and winter. The thorny branches of this shrub also provide shelter and habitat for many local wildlife species.

Rose hips are also treasured by humans. All species produce edible fruits, but not all of them taste good. California Wild Rose is known for its sweet and slightly tart flavor – somewhere in between an apple and a cranberry.

Relationships and Uses

Rose hips are also highly prized for their high vitamin C content. It is common to simply snack on the fruits, or take it a few steps further and process them to make syrups. The flower petals are also edible and often used in salads, syrups, and edible decorations. 

The California Wild Rose has so much to offer us – it’s important that we first stop and think about how we can give back before we begin harvesting. An impactful gift you could offer to California Wild Rose in return for its services is to grow it at home if you have the space and ability. Nonnative and cultivated roses dominate landscaping. California Wild Rose was once naturally abundant, but violent colonization and theft of the land from indigenous people replaced these plants with nonnative and cultivated rose species. How great would it be if we CHOSE to make ca wild rose abundant again? Most local nurseries and native plant nurseries will carry this. 

If you don’t have the space or ability to plant California Wild Rose at home, then harvesting from wild plants should be limited. Stop and ask the plant for permission first (and listen! Sometimes the answer is no, and you will know when it is). A good harvesting rule of thumb I learned from a local indigenous-lead group was to first count 10 individual plants before you even think about harvesting (this also falls in line with asking for permission!) If there are more than 10, harvest no more than ⅓ of the fruit. If there is not more than 10, I tend to only take a few for a trail snack and then move on. To harvest, you can simply pluck each hip off the stem. You should also be mindful of where the rose plant is growing. Pesticides are commonly used in landscaping areas, so it’s best to avoid eating from these (and any) plants unless you are sure the area is free of pesticides.  

How to Use Rose Hips

Rose hips require a little extra care to be consumed safely – there are many small hairy seeds inside. You do not want to eat the seeds, as they are known to cause irritation in the throat. Carefully bite into the flesh and work your way around the seeds. If you accidentally get some in your mouth, spit them out. Orange hips tend to be less ripe and will be more crisp, while darker red hips are riper and will have a little mushier texture to them. If granted permission to harvest, there are many recipes online for how to process rose hips for syrups. And always be 100% sure of your identification before harvesting or consuming any plant.

California Wild Rose was and still is an important plant to California indigenous people. I aim to share this plant with others as much as I can so it will be the first image that pops into any California resident’s head when they think of a “rose”. California Wild Rose gifts both us and our wildlife neighbors with beautiful blossoms and nutritious fruits. Let’s show it the love and attention it deserves.