i have a friend of mine that wants to put in a rose hedge for hip production. honestly im interested as well. any recomendations from you rose growers that grow for hips? must be at least z4 hardy.
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Following as well.
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Not a Rose. But Rosella{Hibiscus sabdariffa} is very popular for it’s tangy hips.
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Rugosa is often used for production of large hips. These have been left on the bush since June, but they were the size of my thumbnail when fresh. I believe rugosa is often listed as hardy to zone 2, I can’t confirm that, but it grows well here in Idaho.
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the biggest hips ive ever seen were on bushes near beaches on the maine coast. easily quarter sized. not sure theyre hardy here but i wish i had grabbed a cutting when i was there last. read some where they were invasive. i think japanese rose. bright red also.
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i looked it up. the ones on the coast are beach rose from asia. hips up to 1.5in. too bad as they are the invasive species on the no no list.
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Rosa rugosa is the go-to for z4 and colder, big hips, almost no maintenance. Hansa and Roseraie de l’Hay are both good cultivars if you want doubles, though the singles tend to hip better. They spread a fair bit so worth thinking about where you put the hedge.
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How does it grow for you? Is it an easily maintained shrub? Or does it grow to 12 ft tall like the description indicates it can?
The beach rose hips Downeast, ME are beyond impressive. I’ve planted a few dozen rugosa roses here. None produce hips even close in size to those in ME. The constant moisture along the coast has to be the difference…
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Its a climbing rose in 7b. But that far north probably would be shorter. About 8 ft tall here.
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they are huge. ive never seen any bigger or more productive. not likely to be as invasive up here but you never know. definitely the thorniest also. ive also seen them growing along the rivers down there as well.
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The Rosa rugosa that grow on the beaches in the Northeast really do produce massive hips. I planted some seeds from one earlier this year. I’m hoping they produce hips that size in pots, but I’m doubtful. Next year, I plan on getting some of the named cultivars that are known for producing large tasty hips.
When walking around my neighborhood, I see several very old, unkept rose bushes that produce rose hips nearly ping-pong-ball-sized. I have no idea what kind of roses they are. I’m hoping I can get a few to taste and collect seeds from.
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Old garden roses were often bred for dual purpose, flowers and hips. Unfortunately because less are interested its hard to find data on this and who produces well. Its the right time of year to ask rose groups though…
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Rosa rugosa makes large hips. Hansa is one
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What do rose hips taste like and how do you eat them? Are all rose hips edible? I love roses and have several plants but have never eaten a rose hip. Or is the singular also “hips”? 
Depends on what variety, some are tart with a neat flavor that I just call rose hip flavor and others are just bland, dry, and cottony things. All that I’ve tried are quite seedy.
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I’ve only used them for tea. There are recipes for jams I believe.
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I didn’t realize how unusual they were since I’ve been around them my whole life visiting. Now that I know, I’ll likely grab some the next chance I have.
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Ages ago{ early seventies} one of the prime benefactors of our local Humane Society was an elderly lady with a huge mansion with a very extensive rose garden. I think she had been the Garden Club president many years too.
But as a teen when you were at her house she delighted giving you a rose tea or jelly. Her circle of friends would meet and compare each others rose varieties and how the flavors compared.
And of course the growability of each type. There is no telling how much generational knowledge left when those fine ole Ladies passed on.
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