Family: roses (Rosaceae)
Flowering time: May–July
Size: up to 3 m
Habitat: forest edges, shrubbery areas, living hedges and rocky slopes
Dog rose (Rosa corymbifera) is a deciduous shrub with pinnate leaves bearing five and seven leaflets. These can be pubescent-hairy on both sides, often only on the underside or only along the veins on the underside of the leaflets. On the pubescent leaf stalks there are usually developed also hooked, curved thorns and solitary stalked glands. The branches of the dog rose are also studded with curved thorns, broad at the base and flattened from the sides. Large fragrant flowers develop on bare flower stalks and measure 3 to 4 cm in diameter. The white petals are longer than the pinnately divided sepals, which after flowering curl back completely and fall off even before the fruits mature. Dog rose grows in association with shrubs and trees on moist soils in sunny places scattered across all of Slovenia. Like other roses, its fruits also contain a lot of vitamin C, which strengthens our immune system; in addition, they contain other active ingredients that positively influence the functioning of the digestive system, urinary tract, and circulatory system, hence rose hips are a common ingredient of teas and jams.
