Rosa canina

Dog rose

Generally recognised as safe

Thorns and hips; scrub roses.

Pinnate leaves and pink flowers.

Family: Rosaceae
Plant type: Shrub

What the safety levels mean (expand legend)

Generally recognised as safe. Often a common herb with reasonable harvest and use; still read the specific warnings on the card.
Information. Primarily informational — details in the text and warnings below matter most.
Caution. Needs extra care (dose, duration, sensitive groups, interactions).
Risky. Significant risks — verify sources, contraindications and professional guidance.
Not for home experimentation. Not suitable to experiment with at home without knowledge and certainty.
High risk for internal use. Particular risk with internal use (e.g. alkaloids); avoid prolonged or irresponsible dosing.
Not specified. Level not filled in yet — rely on individual warnings and links below.

Rosa canina — plant habitus (Wikimedia Commons). — Photograph on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Plant habit

Quick overview

A practical summary; details are in the sections below.

Safety grade: Generally recognised as safe details
Scientific sources on the card: No specific citations attached to claims yet
When and what to harvest: Flower — May–July
Full harvest section
Processing methods: Herbal infusion (tea), Honey macerate, Syrup
All methods and recipes on the card
Topics and symptoms: Joints & mobility, Skin
Topics section, Symptoms overview

Identification and mix-ups

Stipules on the petiole.

Possible mix-ups and risks

Rose species aggregate—identify with care.

Similar herbs

Pot marigold
Flowers and floral parts in the garden tradition; with roses watch for thorns and pick the correct rosehip species.

Topics and symptoms

More topics are in the symptoms and topics overview.

Joints & mobility
Traditional· Traditional / cultural framing
Skin
Traditional· Traditional / cultural framing

Geographic occurrence

Czechia
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Widespread occurrence in the Czech Republic in suitable habitats.
Austria
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Germany
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Hungary
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Poland
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)
Slovakia
Common (expected wild occurrence in the region)

Harvest

FlowerMay–July
summer
Region: Czechia
Notes: Inflorescence in dry weather.

Storage

Drying(Leaf)
Keep dried plant material in a sealed container.
Light:
Out of direct UV.
Moisture:
Low relative humidity.

Processing methods on this herb card

Herbal infusion (tea)(Flower)Suitability: High suitability
Infusion or brief extraction in hot water; usually without long boiling.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Here, herbal tea is prepared as an infusion: pour freshly boiling water over dried herbs or a herbal blend and steep for at least 5 minutes. BfR gives this as a hygiene rule, not a medicinal dose. Follow the specific product instructions, including a longer steeping time when stated. This rule for herbal infusions is not a general preparation guide for true tea (Camellia sinensis). Temperature, steep time, and the herb-to-water ratio change both flavour and what dissolves into the liquid.
Compared with a decoction, heat exposure is shorter and gentler; tender leaves and flowers are often better as an infusion than with prolonged simmering. For each herb, always follow the plant card for suitable plant part, preparation, and safety notes — general rules never replace species-level judgement.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Dog rose petal tea
About 12 minBeginnerScience profile
Open recipe →
Honey macerate(Flower)Suitability: High suitability
Macerating plant material in honey (a honey conserve).
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Honey as a maceration medium creates a viscous mixture with its own biochemistry: water activity, acidity, and enzymes influence shelf life and flavour. Traditionally it is used with delicate flowers or herbs when you want aroma bound into honey.
Infant botulism guidance for honey and honey safety in general sit outside a single herb page; maceration time, ratios, and storage must follow a vetted recipe and source, not this general overview alone.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Dog rose flower honey
About 30 minBeginnerScience profile
Open recipe →
Syrup(Flower)Suitability: High suitability
Decoction or infusion with sweetener and reduction; shelf life depends on sugar and storage.
Full method description (from the catalogue)
Syrups combine a herbal base with sugar or honey and often a short boil to concentrate and improve hygiene. Preservation depends strongly on water content, sugar level, and bottling practice.
Home syrups may fall under food rules; store in the fridge after opening per recipe.
Traditional context for this method: yes·Scientific context for this method: no
Dog rose flower syrup
About 45 minBeginnerScience profile
Open recipe →

Traditional / spiritual use

Kept separate from science — entries are cultural or symbolic, not medical advice.

Related guides in the library

Dog rose: thorns, hips, and the garden fence
General
Traditional useFolk useHerbal lore
Dog rose carries fences, thorns, and autumn hips in tea. Cultural caution and fruit overlap with practical processing — without transferring to health guarantees.
Form:
petal tea, rose hips in cooking
Claim strength:
Tradition
Source note:
Central European landscape and garden image.

Scientific notes

Each claim lists a study type and a source (URL or DOI) where available. Dose notes from the literature are informational only.

No published study records yet.

Images

The main photo is in the card header. More images will appear here when available.

Safety

What the warning types mean

The type on each warning helps group themes — it does not replace the separate severity badge.

Internal use: Risks from swallowing, extracts, duration of use or concentration for internal use.
Interactions / medicines: Possible effect on medicines or concurrent treatment — check sources and a professional.
Raw plant parts: Raw, unripe or poorly prepared plant parts can be dangerous.
Toxins and regulation: Toxic constituents or regulated compounds (e.g. in distillates).
Contact with the plant: Skin or mucosa irritation from contact with fresh plant or sap.
Allergy: Allergic reactions, often linked to family sensitisation.
Harvesting and contamination: Contamination, species mix-ups or harvesting from unsuitable places.

No structured safety records yet.