Rose Hip

Rose Hip (Rosa aff. rubiginosa L./Rosa Canina) is one of the wild varieties of rose trees in Asia. It spread to Europe and was then introduced by the Spaniards to South America around the 15th Century. Nowadays, Rose Hip (called "Rosa Mosqueta" by the Chileans) is mainly found in southern Chile. Rose Hip is not cultivated and grows wild.

Rose Hip is a bush with an average height of 11 feet. Its branches are sarmentous and spiky and can reach up to 32 feet long. The flowers, with white or pink petals, are hermaphrodites. After the pollination, the "fruit" (or false fruit, as it is a cynorhodon) develops, forming an oval shape, like a big grape. Its color varies depending upon the maturation and changes from yellow to red.