Rose (Rosa spp.)
Roses are native to Eurasia, North America and North Africa and have been cultivated for millennia across many cultures as a beloved medicine, food, cosmetic, and botanical fragrance. Rose petals are consider soothing to inflamed skin conditions, as well as cooling and drying, when applied topically and are often used in creams, salves, and hydrosols (flower waters). Western herbalists use Rose petals internally as a Nervine, to help soothe our nervous systems, and an Antidepressant, to help uplift our mood or spirits.
On our farms we grow a native variety, Virginia Rose, and a Japanese variety, Rosa rugosa, known also as beach rose because they grow prolifically along New England’s coastline. We enjoying steeping fresh petals in a vegetable glycerine, making a lovely pink Rose Glycerite or, as we call it, Rose Elixir. We add dried petals to Tulsi for a farm favorite Tulsi-Rose tea. Our Rose Petal Simple Syrup is made with freshly harvested rose petals steeped in sugar and water and strained.
Rose Petals & Rose Petal Syrup – Rose is an herb that is especially beneficial for the heart. It is an antihypertensive and anxiolytic (reduces anxiety). It is nerve calming and mood lifting as well.