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Edible and Medicinal Plants in the Rose Family and How to Grow Them for Yourself

Author Bio

Emma Gallagher is a Brit living in North Carolina. She grows organic gardens and... Read More

The rose, or Rosaceae family, is a family of plants with over 2000 species within more than 90 genera. When you come across different plants within this family, often similarities can be seen, especially when it comes to the formation of blossoms or leaf patterns.

One of the wonders of the Rosaceae family is that it contains many sweet edibles and medicinals. Many of these plants can be foraged in the wild, while others are easy to grow for yourself in your yard.

Roses

Before you use roses medicinally or as food, make sure that you have chosen a true rose (Rosa spp). There are lots of plants that have the word rose in their common name but are not true roses. As well, not all roses are equally delectable so do your research on the type of rose from which you want to harvest.

Roses can be found growing in the wild and in cultivated gardens. If you are going to pick petals or rosehips from the wild, or indeed a private garden, be sure that these plants have not been sprayed with harmful chemicals.

Roses with the sweetest fragrance often have the sweetest tasting petals that are perfect for making tea or adorning desserts. Rose petals can also be used to make rose water. Rosewater is used topically to reduce inflammation and redness.

When planting roses in your garden, choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Roses love rich soil, so add lots of compost and green manure into the hole you are planting your rose bush. Roses respond well to being deadheaded as this encourages more blooms. The more blooms, the more petals you can harvest!

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Strawberries

Source: GrowVeg/YouTube

If you take notice of a strawberry flower, you can see its resemblance to other flowers within the Rosaceae family. Strawberries can be grown in a hanging basket, a container on your porch, or in a garden bed.

Whatever the space you are working with, one great way to get hold of some plants is to find a friend who already has a strawberry plant. ‘Mother’ strawberry plants send out runners that root and grow a new plant. These ‘babies’ can be cut from their mother once established and replanted elsewhere.

Most strawberries fall within two categories. Everbearing varieties give you two smaller harvests during the growing season, while the June-bearing varieties give one bumper harvest at the beginning of summer.

Choose a sunny spot with well-draining, rich, and slightly acidic soil to plant your strawberry plants. Plant your plants 18-20 inches apart to allow for sufficient growing space if you are planting them in the ground. Keep your plants well-watered but not saturated. Keep the soil around your strawberries mulched until the plants form their ground cover.

Once your strawberries are ready for picking choose the berries that are entirely red with no white patches. Strawberries do not ripen well after picking.

Blackberries and Raspberries

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Raspberries and blackberries can be foraged in the wild during the summer, but it’s also pretty easy to grow them in your garden.

Raspberries and blackberries grow on canes. These canes grow tall and then bend over to the ground and root themselves. At that point, another shoot pops up and turns into another cane. Plant your berry plants in a sunny spot in your garden with well-draining soil. They like acid soil, so mulching with pine straw can help with this amendment if needed.

Due to the way they grow, you will need to have a strong trellis to train the canes along unless you don’t mind them going a little rogue! That said, there are more compact varieties that can be grown in pots on porches. There are even thornless varieties than certainly make harvesting a less vicious pursuit!

Apples

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If you think about apple blossoms, you might notice that strong family resemblance to wild rose, blackberry, and strawberry flowers. It is fair to say that not everyone has the luxury of having space to plant a whole tree, but if you do, and you live in the right climate, an apple tree can be a gift that gives for years and years.

If you have limited space for a tree, one option would be to choose a dwarf variety. You need to be aware of your growing zone and choose trees that are hardy to your area. Apples need a season of dormancy as well as a sufficient growing season.

Your apple tree will need a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Keep the ground around it mulched and keep it well-watered while it is establishing itself. With a dwarf variety, you could be harvesting your first apples within three years. Full-sized trees can take up to 8 years to yield.

So, here we have a list of delicious plants that all come from the Rosaceae family. Other notable members are pears, quinces, peaches, apricots, plums, and cherries.

It is worth noting that if you have a known allergy to one plant within this family, you might show allergic reactions to others in this family, too. Take caution and consult a medical professional before using plants medicinally.

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