Wild rose hips, the popular fruit of roses, are starting to get to the edible stage now, although connoisseurs say that it’s best to wait until after the first light frost to pick them. (The frost apparently breaks down their cellular walls somewhat and makes the fruit sweeter.)
Above, you see the hips of the climbing multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora). Below, you’ll see the larger, less hairy fruit of the beach rose bush (rugosa rose, Rose rugosa).:
The word “hip” reportedly is derived from the Old English word “hiope,” meaning “seed vessel of wild roses.” Rose hips, which are rich in vitamin C, are deseeded and used in a variety of foods, especially teas, jams, jellies, and sauces. Native Americans also used them as medicine, including as a contraction inducer to hasten delivery of women in labor. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on September 2, 2022.)