Pretty Herbal Rose Hips

These are rose hips on a Ballerina rose. They are very small rose hips. When I go to the farm next weekend there should be red rose hips on all my roses - some of my roses make very large hips - they were all green last weekend. I expect with the frosts we have had the last several mornings that they are red now.

Roses are considered an herb. Rose hips are very high in vitamin C. In fact, compared to an orange they have 30% more vitamin C, 25% more iron, 25 times more vitamin A, and 28% more calcium.

To make rose hip tea, harvest the hips when they have turned a rosy red. Wash them off, and let them dry on wax paper or some dry surface. This will take several weeks. They will look shrivelled and they will harden and get darker. Drop some into boiling water and let them steep. Add some honey and there you have it - rose hip tea. You may, of course remove the hips before drinking, but you certainly do not have to.