Wild Thang Rose Seeds

currently unavailable This hybrid rose from seed is one of the few selections that we found as a chance cross with rugosa rose and dog rose. The hip production is lower compared to our other strains but the structure of the upright plant with the long arching canes and the lack of seeds within the fruit make it a valuable edible hip as well as a nice ornamental rose.  Flowers have a nice fragrance and can be eaten as well. 

Selections of this plant have been propagated from seed at my farm for a while. Over time it has turned into this beautiful single pink flowered plant with long arching canes. The canes have significant thorns on them.  The plants themselves are not too dense in canes but the hip production is good enough to collect and the flavor of the hip is very good. Further selections could be done from this cross to develop even a higher amounts of hips. The durability of this cross is amazing and could easily be established in fence rows with other trees as a sort of wildlife cover similar to multiflora rose but a lot more manageable if the hedgerow is going to be used for other uses and you do not want the species to move much on its own. Selections are being worked on that have larger and thicker canes as well as fruit production. Wild roses have a huge potential for both as a food and medicine crop as well as a plant that integrates into a managed tree crop system of any size while improving wildlife habitat and as a pollinizer plant. 

To germinate the seeds: Store in lightly moist peat moss for 90-120 days in refrigerator storage from 33-38 F.  After 90 days, some of the seeds may germinate quickly. Pick those out and plant carefully in a well drained soil mix.  A portion of the seeds will not-- but will sprout the following season. Normally the rose seed has a hard and rather water repellant seed coat and letting the soil bacteria work on it , will cause the seed coat to break down and then allow for germination to take place.  The best method:Plant outside 1/8 inch deep outside in the fall placing seeds 1/4 inch apart. Easier to grow outside than in pots.