Nootka Rose Info
Nootka roses are basically wild or species roses named after an island off Vancouver, Canada named Nootka. This wonderful rose bush separates itself from other wild roses in three ways:
Uses of Nootka Rose Plants
Nootka rose plants can be found in several areas of the United States but may well have crossed with one of the other local wild/species roses, as it will easily cross with other such roses. The Nootka rose is a rose of many uses too:
Research indicates that the early settlers to the United States, as well as the Native American Indians, ate Nootka rose hips and shoots during times when food was scarce. The Nootka rose hips were at the time the only winter food around, as the hips remained on the Nootka rose shrub during winter. Today, rosehip tea is commonly made by steeping the dried, ground hips in boiling water and adding honey as a sweetener. Some of the early settlers created eye washes for infections from the Nootka rose and also crushed the leaves and used them to treat bee stings. In our world today, rose hips are found in nutritional supplements, as they contain a large amount of vitamin C, even more than oranges. They also contain phosphorus, iron, calcium, and vitamin A, all of which are necessary nutrients for maintaining good health. The dried leaves of Nootka wild roses have been used as an air freshener, similar to potpourri, as well. Chewing up the leaves has even been known to freshen one’s breath.
