Wild Rose, Rosa Canina

Rosa canina, R. multiflora, R. rugosa

cool, dry, tonifying

Taste: sweet, aromatic, astringent, sour

Family: Rosaceae

Medicinal parts: flowers, hips (fruits), roots

Actions: astringent, refrigerant, vulnerary, antimicrobial, nervine, nutritive (hips),

exhilarant (petals)

Affinities: integumentary, nervous, and digestive systems

Notable constituents: plant acids (ascorbic, citric, malic), catechins, flavonoids,

polyphenols, quercetin, carotenoids, tocopherols, pectin, tannins

Deities: Venus, Aphrodite, Isis, Inanna 

Planet: Venus

Elements: Water 

Symbols: Rose of venus, radiant star 

Folklore, Traditions and History

Rose is the ancient symbol of the divine rule of the matriarch, her power over the underworld, earth and heavens. She is the life force, the element of water and divine wisdom. From ancient Mesopotamia to the English country garden, the symbol of rose as the matriarchal goddess is woven throughout the tapestry of human culture. We can find her in resilient glimpses, allowing us to trace back to the ancient rule of the divine matriarch. 

The Rose of Venus is a geometric pattern formed by the movement of Earth and Venus. Miraculously, every eight years, the dance between these two planets creates this perfect five petaled rose shape. This conjunction was symbolized by the Sumerians as the 8 pointed star, called the radiant star. Since ancient times, this radiant star has been associated with the Goddess in her many manifestations, first Isis then Inanna. Inanna transformed into Ishtar and later Astarte. Astarte then inspired the Greek cult of Aphrodite which became the Roman Goddess Venus. These are the origins of the sacred rose as the ancient goddess. She is the archetypal goddess, her presents bring forward themes of love, femininity and mysticism.

For the ancients, the goddess and the rose were always linked. In the ancient palace of knossos, the Great Goddesses throne room has two griffon frescos standing guard on either side of the throne. These griffons have the head of a bird for the element of sky, the body of a lion for earth and a snake tail for the underworld, representing the triple domains that the great goddess ruled over. The griffons also have roses depicted over their hearts. In this ancient throne room, the priestesses would carry out the shamanic rituals for the great goddess.  

Rose is also symbolized as a walled garden. In the ancient middle east, gardens were created to represent eden and had a specific layout, with a central tree of life. Persian’s designed their paradise on earth with a fountain in the center. Rose’s elemental correspondence is the symbol of water. Both the tree of life and the fountain represent the feminine source of life and renewal. Medieval rose gardens emulated this earlier middle eastern design, making the rose garden a common symbol for eden. Rose gardens today still reflect these ancient symbols. 

Rose as the personification of the old goddesses transformed in the 12th century under Christianity. The divine feminine goddess re-emerged as a manifestation of Mary, the Rosa Mystica. Older symbolic rituals for the pagan goddesses became devotions for the Rosa Mystica. It is why the rosary is made from dried roses, these were the pagan rituals transformed under christian rule. This Christian version of the rose goddess emphasized the divine aspect of the soul, this influenced the Alchemists and Gnostic rose symbolism. For Gnostics, the rose represented Sophia and divine wisdom. The Gnostic Sacred Way of the Rose is an initiatory path of the hidden divine feminine.

Medicinal Properties 

Sweet, aromatic and astringent rose has affinities for the integumentary, nervous and digestive systems. Its medicinal parts include the petals, hips and roots, each with their own properties. It has many medicinal actions, such as an astringent, refrigerant, vulnerary, antimicrobial, nervine, nutritive (hips) and exhilarant (petals). Cooling, drying and tonifying rose is an essential part of a herbal first aid kit for wound care, as a calming nervine and as a support for digestive complaints

Rose has an affinity for the integumentary system, this is our skin, hair, nails and glands. Rose petal extract, commonly known as rose water, is protective and supportive for skin due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which are derived from its flavonoids, tannins, saponin and triterpenoids. Extracts with antioxidant properties are of interest to skin care as they combat oxidative stress, which ages the skin. The antioxidant properties of rose are proven to protect skin from UV radiations harm while rose’s polyphenolic compounds support the reduction of inflammation. Try adding rose to your skin care rituals. To work with rose as a moisturizer, spray rose water on to the face and work in with the tips of your fingers a few drops of an oil that suits your skin type, creating a balanced moisturizer that heals and protects your skin. 

As a vulnerary herb suited for many wound treatments, rose has applications in a herbal first aid kit. Research with rose petal extracts on wounds show that it has potent antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. The astringent properties of rose also contribute to its success in wound healing applications, this aspect is found in the petals and more notably in the root. Astringency helps tighten tissues and staunch the flow of blood. The cooling properties of rose also aid in calming the flushed area around the wound. Wounds are generally warm, lax and wet, rose balances this with its cooling, tightening and drying properties. Try keeping rose water mixed with non-alcoholic witch hazel as a first pass wound wash in your herbal first aid kit. Store the mix in a squirt bottle that allows you to produce a jet of fluid or use an irrigation syringe. This will allow you to properly flush particulates out of a wound. 

Rose has shown significant results for burn care. It is considered a refrigerant, meaning it has a gentle cooling sensation on contact. A study working with second degree burns show that the addition of rose extract to a burn care topical creates stronger wound healing activity, showing denser collagen than the control group as well as follicles starting to regrow hair. Try spraying a sunburn with rose water, this will calm and cool down the burn. Mix the rose water with aloe or prickly pear to create a soothing treatment for sunburns. 

As aromatherapy, rose can reduce anxiety, decrease pain intensity and help aid sleep during trauma. In a clinical trial testing for sleep quality in burn patients, an inhalation dose of five drops of a 40% damascene rose essential oil was administered. The results displayed reduced anxiety and improved sleep. Another clinical trial was conducted on patients with second and third degree wounds. The test group inhaled five drops of damask rose essence and a pain intensity assessment displayed a significant reduction. This reduction in pain continued to be expressed when these patients were having their wounds dressed.

Rose has medicinal applications as a nervine, meaning it works with the nervous system. Rose calms and relaxes the nervous system, relieving emotional and physical tension. This is particularly helpful for reducing stress in the nervous system caused by inflammation. Rose petals have an exhilarating aspect, meaning they uplift a person's emotional state. Consider creating a calming ritual that combines breath work and a dose of rose medicine for times when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. This is particularly supportive in people experiencing hot, flushed states and having excess heat building. These cooling and calming aspects make rose a helpful ally for people experiencing menopause hot flashes. A few options for working with this aspect is to make an infusion with the petals, work with a tincture, a flower essence, infused honey or an elixir. 

Rose aromatherapy is helpful to complement other therapeutic measures. Try a dose of five drops of rose essential oil in an aromatherapy diffuser, this dose has proven effective in clinical trials for improving sleep, decreasing pain intensity and reducing anxiety. For treating a condition where sleep is troubled because of managing physical pain, consider adding rose aromatherapy to a bedtime routine to support your patients along their recovery. Rose essential oil aromatherapy treatment is proven to reduce pain when dressing wounds, this makes rose supportive for first aid treatments. Try having a patient inhale the scent of rose before or during dressing a wound and consider keeping rose essential oil in your herbal first aid kit. Rose aromatherapy is suitable to complement treatment for mental health disorders, such as major depression disorder. Try working with rose aromatherapy to complement a treatment plan for reducing mental stress.

One of the most stand out properties of rose is its astringent nature. This property is found in the petals and more intensely in the root. Astringent herbs like rose root are used internally to treat gut inflammation. Research shows that rose root extract reduces oxidative stress and inflammation. Astringent, anti-inflammatory rose root is suitable for supporting intestinal wound healing, leaky gut conditions, ulcerations and treating diarrhea.

Rosehips are nutritious and an excellent source of vitamin C. Try making a rosehip and friends tea, by adding herbs that compliment rose hips such as hibiscus flowers, goji berries and elderberries. This tea blend can help reduce systemic inflammation, provide antioxidant effects and vitamin C. This tea makes a fruity and bright red infusion, try it as a substitute for sugary drinks. This mix is multi-purposed and can be used to infuse white wine. Try making your own rosehip and friends blend for infusing in water or wine. Another way to work with rosehips is to make a honey paste with powdered herbs, this can be used as a sweet spread that's packed with vitamins and nutrients. 

This is for research purposes and should not be taken as medical advice.

Works Cited

Bikmoradi , A, et al. “The Effect of Inhalation Aromatherapy with Damask Rose (Rosa Damascena) Essence on the Pain Intensity after Dressing in Patients with Burns: A Clinical Randomized Trial.” Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2016, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27186201/. 

Latcuba, Swastina. “Analysis of Wound Healing Activity from Rose Petal Extract Ointment in Wistar Rats.” Iopscience.Org, iopscience.org, iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/1083/1/012047/pdf. Accessed 14 June 2024.

Li, Xinyu, et al. “The Extract from the Roots of Rose Odorata Sweet Var. Gigantean (Coll. et Hemsl.) Rehd. et Wils Attenuates DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis by Regulating the Nrf2/NF-ΚB Signaling Pathways.” RSC Advances, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 4 Mar. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9122567/.

Marciano, Marisa. “Cardiac Tonic.” The Naturopathic Herbalist, The Naturopathic Herbalist, 14 May 2014, 

M;, Mokhtari R;Ajorpaz NM;Abdi K;Golitaleb. “The Effects of Rosa Damascene Aromatherapy on Anxiety and Sleep Quality in Burn Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” Burns : Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2 Aug. 2022, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35995640/. 

Nadeak, L, et al. “Activity of Rose Flower Extract and Resepthakulum As ...” Scitepress.Org, International Conference on Health Informatics, Medical, Biological Engineering, and Pharmaceutical, 2020, www.scitepress.org/Papers/2020/102858/102858.pdf. (Nadeak, L, et al. 2020)

“Rose.” Herbal Reality, Herbal Reality, 23 Apr. 2024, www.herbalreality.com/herb/rose/. 

Sheff, Elaine. “Rose Monograph.” HerbRally, HerbRally, www.herbrally.com/monographs/rose-es. Accessed 14 June 2024. thenaturopathicherbalist.com/herbal-actions/b-d/cardiac-tonic-2/#:~:text=These%20are%20remedies%20that%20have,%26%20Motherwort%20(Leonurus%20cardiaca). 

Swift, Katja, and Ryn Midura. “Rose - Materia Medica Entry Text.” Accessed 14 June. 2024.

Swift, Katja, and Ryn Midura. “Rose - Rosa spp” Family Herbalist Course.https://online.commonwealthherbs.com/courses/take/materia-medica/lessons/3014510-rose-rosa-spp Accessed 14 June. 2024. 

Wang, Hsiuying. “Beneficial Medicinal Effects and Material Applications of Rose.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 10 Dec. 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10758878/. 

https://www.animamundischool.org/voices-of-the-well-blog/symbol-of-the-rose-by-anne-baring#:~:text=The%20rose%20represents%20love%2C%20creation,earthly%20perfection%2C%20but%20heavenly%20perfection.