by Eric Yarnell, ND
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Last updated 27 July 2026
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Table of Contents
Clinical Highlights
Wild rose flowers are an extremely safe, mild nervine.
Wild rose fruit (hips) is a nutritional, very safe food.
Wild rose fruit (hips) is a nutritional, very safe food.
Rosa spp on the Oregon coast (copyright 2026, E. Yarnell)
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Rosa nutkana fruit or hip (copyright 2026, E. Yarnell)
Rosa gymnocarpa stamens and flower bud, Pt Townsend, WA 2016 (copyright 2026, E Yarnell)
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Clinical Fundamentals
Part Used: flower petals (fresh or, suboptimally, dried) or a volatile oil made from the flowers, or fruit (fresh or dried). Far less often, the fresh or dried root or leaves are used.
Taste: petals: astringent and floral. Fruit: astringent, grainy, mild
Major Actions:
Major Organ System Affinities
Major Indications:
Major Constituents:
Adverse Effects: generally none, but eating too much of the fruit, root, or leaves could lead to dyspepsia and constipation due to excessive tannin intake.
Contraindications: the fruit, root, and leaves are generally not recommended in constipation, as they could make it worse.
All parts of the plant are safe in pregnancy and lactation. The volatile oil should generally be avoided in children under the age of 2 yr for greatest safety, except at very low doses (all volatile oils are so concentrated and lipophilic that they can cause seizures or other neurotoxicity, though this is extremely unlikely with rose volatile oil).
Drug Interactions: none known or suspected, though the fruit, root and leaves should not be taken at the same time as any medication that must be kept away from food
Taste: petals: astringent and floral. Fruit: astringent, grainy, mild
Major Actions:
- Nervine (flower)
- Astringent (fruit, root, leaf)
- Antimicrobial (fruit, root, leaf)
- Antioxidant (fruit)
Major Organ System Affinities
- Central Nervous System (flower)
- Gastrointestinal Tract (fruit, root, leaf)
Major Indications:
- Flower including its volatile oil:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Fruit, root and leaf:
- Gastrointestinal infections (infectious diarrhea)
- Gingivitis and periodontal disease
- Nutritive (fruit, in food doses)
Major Constituents:
- Flower
- Terpenoids
- Fruit, root, and leaf:
- Tannins
- Flavonoids
- Vitamin C
Adverse Effects: generally none, but eating too much of the fruit, root, or leaves could lead to dyspepsia and constipation due to excessive tannin intake.
Contraindications: the fruit, root, and leaves are generally not recommended in constipation, as they could make it worse.
All parts of the plant are safe in pregnancy and lactation. The volatile oil should generally be avoided in children under the age of 2 yr for greatest safety, except at very low doses (all volatile oils are so concentrated and lipophilic that they can cause seizures or other neurotoxicity, though this is extremely unlikely with rose volatile oil).
Drug Interactions: none known or suspected, though the fruit, root and leaves should not be taken at the same time as any medication that must be kept away from food
Pharmacy Essentials
Tincture: 1:2–1:3 w:v ratio, 30% ethanol (of any part of the plant)
Dose:
Acute, adult: 3–5 ml up to q2h
Chronic, adult: 1–5 ml tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Glycerite: 1:2–1:3 w:v ratio, 100% vegetable glycerin (of any part of the plant but especially the flower)
Dose:
Acute, adult: 3–5 ml up to q2h
Chronic, adult: 1–5 ml tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Infusion: 2–3 g (1 heaping tsp) of flower steeped, covered, in 250 ml of water for 15–30 min, the result of which makes one cup (not 8 oz, but one dose). The amount of water used can be adjusted to patient taste in subsequent cups.
Dose:
Acute adult: 1 cup q2h
Chronic, adult: 1 cup tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Decoction: 2–3 g (1 heaping tsp) of fruit, root, or leaf simmered, covered, in 250 ml of water for 15–30 min, the result of which makes one cup (not 8 oz, but one dose). The amount of water used can be adjusted to patient taste in subsequent cups.
Dose:
Acute adult: 1 cup q2h
Chronic, adult: 1 cup tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Capsules of fruit:
Dose:
Acute, adult: 1–2 g q2h
Chronic, adult: 1–2 g tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Steam-distilled volatile oil of flower:
Note: do not use any of the various solvent extractions of rose made for perfumery as medicine, including rose absolute, rose concrete, or rose resinoid. These retain some of the toxic organic solvents used in their manufacture and are not safe.
It is acceptable to substitute a supercritical carbon dioxide-extracted volatile oil.
Dose:
Acute, adult: 1–5 drops up to q2h (do not exceed such dosing for more than 48 hours)
Chronic, adult: 1–5 gtt tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size (but generally avoid in children under the age of 2 yr)
If you need help formulating with this herb, or any other, you can use the formulation tool. Remember that when using this herb in a formula, due to synergy, you can usually use less.
Dose:
Acute, adult: 3–5 ml up to q2h
Chronic, adult: 1–5 ml tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Glycerite: 1:2–1:3 w:v ratio, 100% vegetable glycerin (of any part of the plant but especially the flower)
Dose:
Acute, adult: 3–5 ml up to q2h
Chronic, adult: 1–5 ml tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Infusion: 2–3 g (1 heaping tsp) of flower steeped, covered, in 250 ml of water for 15–30 min, the result of which makes one cup (not 8 oz, but one dose). The amount of water used can be adjusted to patient taste in subsequent cups.
Dose:
Acute adult: 1 cup q2h
Chronic, adult: 1 cup tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Decoction: 2–3 g (1 heaping tsp) of fruit, root, or leaf simmered, covered, in 250 ml of water for 15–30 min, the result of which makes one cup (not 8 oz, but one dose). The amount of water used can be adjusted to patient taste in subsequent cups.
Dose:
Acute adult: 1 cup q2h
Chronic, adult: 1 cup tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Capsules of fruit:
Dose:
Acute, adult: 1–2 g q2h
Chronic, adult: 1–2 g tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size
Steam-distilled volatile oil of flower:
Note: do not use any of the various solvent extractions of rose made for perfumery as medicine, including rose absolute, rose concrete, or rose resinoid. These retain some of the toxic organic solvents used in their manufacture and are not safe.
It is acceptable to substitute a supercritical carbon dioxide-extracted volatile oil.
Dose:
Acute, adult: 1–5 drops up to q2h (do not exceed such dosing for more than 48 hours)
Chronic, adult: 1–5 gtt tid
Child: as adult but adjusted for body size (but generally avoid in children under the age of 2 yr)
If you need help formulating with this herb, or any other, you can use the formulation tool. Remember that when using this herb in a formula, due to synergy, you can usually use less.
Other Names
Latin synonyms:
North American Species
Pacific Northwest Native Species:
Rosa gymnocarpa (baldhip rose)
Rosa nutkana (Nootka rose)
Rosa pisocarpa (cluster rose, swamp rose)
Rosa rugosa (rugosa rose)
Rosa woodsii (Woods' rose, prairie rose, mountain rose)
Eurasian Species
Rosa canina (dog rose, brier rose, briar rose, dog brier)
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose, baby rose, Japanese rose, seven-sisters rose, rambler rose)
English Common Names: rose, wild rose
Native American Common Names (grouped linguistically and geographically):
Tsalagi Gawonihisdi ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ (Cherokee, Iriquoian family): tsi-s-du un-i-gi-s-di ᏥᏍᏚ ᎤᏂᎩᏍᏗ (“what rabbits eat”, rose hips), Da'yakalï'skï (Rosa lucida)
hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (Halkomelem, Salish family): qá:lq (hip, flower); qá:lqelhp (shrub); qel̓pulhp (shrub, in Island dialect); qel̓p (hips, in Island dialect) all of Rosa nutkana
ńseĺxčiń (Okanagan or Colville-Okanagan, Salish family): skʷəkwiw̓ (hips)
Nuxalk (Bella Coola, Salish family): skobįk’ (Rosa nutkana)
SENĆOŦEN, sənčáθən, sénəčqən (Northern Straits Salish or Saanich, Salish family):qəl̓əqíłč (shrub); qəʔl̓eq (hips); qél̓q (flower) (all Rosa nutkana)
təw'ánəxʷ (Skokomish or Twana, Salish family): yE’ʔyIstə (Rosa nutkana)
Łingít (Tlingit, Na-Dene family): x’unéil’ ch’éeni; (shrub); k’inchéiyi (hips)
Sm’álgyax (Tsimshian, Sm’algyax, or Ts’msyen; Tsimshian family): ḵ’aláams (shrub); ḵ’alaamst (fruit)
Nisg̱a’a, nisqáʔamq (Tsimshian, Nishga, or Nisga’a, Tsimshian family): ḵ’alams (Rosa nutkana)
North American Species
Pacific Northwest Native Species:
Rosa gymnocarpa (baldhip rose)
Rosa nutkana (Nootka rose)
Rosa pisocarpa (cluster rose, swamp rose)
Rosa rugosa (rugosa rose)
Rosa woodsii (Woods' rose, prairie rose, mountain rose)
Eurasian Species
Rosa canina (dog rose, brier rose, briar rose, dog brier)
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose, baby rose, Japanese rose, seven-sisters rose, rambler rose)
English Common Names: rose, wild rose
Native American Common Names (grouped linguistically and geographically):
Tsalagi Gawonihisdi ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ (Cherokee, Iriquoian family): tsi-s-du un-i-gi-s-di ᏥᏍᏚ ᎤᏂᎩᏍᏗ (“what rabbits eat”, rose hips), Da'yakalï'skï (Rosa lucida)
hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (Halkomelem, Salish family): qá:lq (hip, flower); qá:lqelhp (shrub); qel̓pulhp (shrub, in Island dialect); qel̓p (hips, in Island dialect) all of Rosa nutkana
ńseĺxčiń (Okanagan or Colville-Okanagan, Salish family): skʷəkwiw̓ (hips)
Nuxalk (Bella Coola, Salish family): skobįk’ (Rosa nutkana)
SENĆOŦEN, sənčáθən, sénəčqən (Northern Straits Salish or Saanich, Salish family):qəl̓əqíłč (shrub); qəʔl̓eq (hips); qél̓q (flower) (all Rosa nutkana)
təw'ánəxʷ (Skokomish or Twana, Salish family): yE’ʔyIstə (Rosa nutkana)
Łingít (Tlingit, Na-Dene family): x’unéil’ ch’éeni; (shrub); k’inchéiyi (hips)
Sm’álgyax (Tsimshian, Sm’algyax, or Ts’msyen; Tsimshian family): ḵ’aláams (shrub); ḵ’alaamst (fruit)
Nisg̱a’a, nisqáʔamq (Tsimshian, Nishga, or Nisga’a, Tsimshian family): ḵ’alams (Rosa nutkana)
Interchangeability of Species
Probably all wild rose species can be used interchangeably. Any species that has been hybridized for beauty is suspect at having lost medicinal potency, though if the flowers are strong-smelling, they are probably medicinal and the fruit, root, and leaves are unlikely to have been degraded by hybridization. Still, wild species are likely stronger and are recommended for clinical use.
Advanced Clinical Information
Additional Actions:
Additional Indications:
Prediabetes: In a double-blind trial in obese adults with metabolic syndrome, rose hips intake was associated with biochemical signs that blood sugar control was improving and atherosclerosis was reduced (Andersson, et al. 2012).
Dyslipidemia: there is limited evidence that intake of the root of R. multiflora root may help lower serum LDL cholesterol levels (Chen and Zhang 1984).
Kidney stone prevention: In a study in female rats, wild rose hips decoction decreased urinary calcium while increasing citrate levels, suggesting it could be helpful for preventing kidney stones (Grases, et al. 1992).
Additional Indications:
Prediabetes: In a double-blind trial in obese adults with metabolic syndrome, rose hips intake was associated with biochemical signs that blood sugar control was improving and atherosclerosis was reduced (Andersson, et al. 2012).
Dyslipidemia: there is limited evidence that intake of the root of R. multiflora root may help lower serum LDL cholesterol levels (Chen and Zhang 1984).
Kidney stone prevention: In a study in female rats, wild rose hips decoction decreased urinary calcium while increasing citrate levels, suggesting it could be helpful for preventing kidney stones (Grases, et al. 1992).
Botanical Information
Botanical Description:
Native range:
Native range:
Native range of Rosa nutkana
Harvest, Cultivation, and Ecology
Cultivation:
Wildcrafting:
Ecological Status:
Wildcrafting:
Ecological Status:
References
Andersson U, Berger K, Högberg A, et al. (2012) “Effects of rose hip intake on risk markers of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over investigation in obese persons” Eur J Clin Nutr 66:585–90.
Chen YC, Zhang JN (1984) "Clinical observation on the effect of Radix rosae multiflorae in reducing blood lipids" J Tradit Chin Med 4(4):295–6.
Grases F, Masarova L, Costa-Bauza A, et al. (1992) "Effect of Rosa canina infusion and magnesium on the urinary risk factors of calcium oxalate urolithiasis” Planta Med 58(6):509–12.
Chen YC, Zhang JN (1984) "Clinical observation on the effect of Radix rosae multiflorae in reducing blood lipids" J Tradit Chin Med 4(4):295–6.
Grases F, Masarova L, Costa-Bauza A, et al. (1992) "Effect of Rosa canina infusion and magnesium on the urinary risk factors of calcium oxalate urolithiasis” Planta Med 58(6):509–12.