Rose (Rosa acicularis or other varieties)

Parts Used:  Petals, Buds, Rosehips or Ariel Parts

* Can use any variety of rose as long as you know it hasn’t been treated with chemicals 

* Fresh or dried herb

* Native Rose is shown above & is my favorite to work with

* Use just petals for more fragrant taste

Harvest:  In Minnesota Rose blossoms in late June to early August or purchase fresh/dried herbs from local growers or organic herbal retailers (local or online)

Tastes:  Astringent & Sweet

Properties: Slightly cooling, Anti-inflammatory/septic/bacterial, Nervine, Anti-spasmodic?

How to Prepare:  

Tea:  Steep 1 TBS/cup of dried herb with hot covered water for 5-15 min

Potential Ways to Use (topically or internal):

Tea, tincture, elixir, powered petals, pastilles, bath salts, tea bath, steams, cosmetic products,    salves, poultice, toner, room spray, hydrosols, flower essence, potpourri 

 Fun Facts:

  • Cooling (sour (flavanoids - helps blood pass through capillaries) = fights fire)

  • Contain as much or more antioxidants as green tea

  • Boost immune system

  • Aphrodisiac stirring up libido and blood while being heart opener

  • Amazing for skin 

  • Protection, love spell, heartsickness

  • A Venus herb

Known to be Used For:

  • Rose family plants (astringent & slightly cooling) works with mucous membranes which are the layers of tissue that protect the underlying tissues that have contact with outside world (nose, eyelids, urethra, vag, penis, Gi tract) 

  • Hot conditions when losing fluids 

  • Topically for sore muscles chronic musculoskeletal pain, swelling, stiffness, dislocated discs, etc. 

  • Cold or flu like illness 

  • Alleviating menstrual system:  pelvic congestion, cramps, cysts, mood swings

  • Women’s health - PMS, perimenopausal, low libido, infertility, cramps

  • IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) 

  • Preventative for cancer (powerful anti-oxidants) 

  • Arthritis 

  • Improvement of digestion

  • Removes toxins in urinary tract & kidneys

  • Nerve Tonic:  insomnia, depression, anxiety 

  • Respiratory issues (use rosebud & rosehips) 

  • Liver  - and emotional anger 

  • Lower cholesterol 

  • Cleans out lymph 

  • Rosehips - UTI, vit C,B’s, Bioflavanoids, K, E,  respiratory tract infections, blood tonic, poultices 

  • Infusion for teething, fussiness & diareaha in babies 

  • Grief & healing heart

Resources:

http://kivasenchantments.com/sweet-medicine-healing-with-the-wild-heart-of-rose.html

Herbal apprenticeships with Jessica Belden (Medicine Tree) & Lise Wolff (Three Seasons)

Astro-Herbalism (School of Evolutionary Herbalism)

Terra Sura PhotographyComment