Rose is the most popular garden plant and cut-
flower in the world. Due to its importance, rose breeding
and improvement programmes have received great attention
throughout the world.  Wild species have always played
greater role in present day roses in many ways. Therefore,
there is a great deal of interest in studying variability
existing among various species, their characterization and
adaptability for effective use in improvement programmes.
Rosa species grow wild in several regions of the world and
most are of ornamental value only. Temperate climate
generally encourages growth and fruiting in Rosa species.
Majority of the species are found in the wild in China,
Myanmar (Burma), Himalayan region, Central Europe and
North East Asia. The species gradually spread from the
Northern hemisphere from Alaska and Siberia, South to
Mexico, India, the Philippines and Ethiopia. Rose hips are
the enlarged floral cups (receptacles) which surround
numerous small, hard dry fruits (achenes) commonly called
seeds. Rose hips are bright orange and oval and become
fleshy, but are not true fruits. Apart from having ornamental
value, rose hips have attained great importance for their
various economic uses. Rose hip dry pulp is exported mainly
to European countries. The dry pulp is used in herbal teas
and marmalades and as a pigment for laying hens and broiler
chickens (Burgos, 1976; Cortés, 1976; Larraín, 1978). It

Variability in hip characters in Rosa species

T. Janakiram and Thomas Debner1
Division of Ornamental Crops

Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore-560089, India
E-mail: tolety07@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The reddish ‘fruit’ of rose is commonly known as its hip. Rose hips are formed when the tip of a rose stem swells up
after a flower has faded.  Species roses, shrub roses, ramblers and other roses that are “close to nature” (R. gallica,
R. rugosa) are the most likely to have noticeable hips. Twenty three rose species were evaluated for hip characters.
Rose hips were very variable among the species. Average hip length and diameter varies between 0.5 to 2.8 cm and 0.1
to 2.7 cm, respectively. Hip shape viz., sub-globose, urn-shaped, ellipsoid and spindle-shaped were observed among the
species. The range for number of hips was found to be 5 to 45 per cluster. Rosa rugosa recorded larger hip size.
Majority of the species showed orange and deep red hip color. R. moyesii (blue-green foliage and bright to orange
hips), R. glauca (bright scarlet hips), R. pimpinellifolia (tiny, red-black hips) with attractive hips having ornamental
value can be utilized in landscaping and for garden purposes.

Keywords: Rosa species, hips, ornamental, variability

1 Department Head, Institute of Plant Genetics-Molecular Plant Breeding Herrenhacusen strz Hannover, Germany

contains large amounts of Vitamin C (1000-2000 mg/100g),
riboflavin, pectin, nicotinic acid and malic acid (Israel and
Benado, 1977). The objective of this study was to evaluate
differences in hip characteristics, viz., size, colour and shape
of rose hips under Ahrenburg, Germany conditions.

Sixty Rosa species are maintained at the Institute
for Ornamental Plant Breeding, Ahrensburg, Germany.
Twenty three hips from each of the species R. acicularis,
R. alba, R. arvensis, R. glutinosa, R. helenae, R. macrantha,
R. macrophylla, R. majalis, R. mollis, R. moyesii, R.
multiflora, R. nitida, R. nutkana, R. pendula R.
pimpinellifolia, R. roxburghii, R. rubinigosa, R. rubrifolia,
R. rubus, R. rugosa, R. rugosa alba, R. tomentosa and
R. wichuriana were collected and observations were made
on hip characters viz., size, number, color and shape
according to the rose description guide.

A great variation is observed in size, shape and
colour amongst rose hips (Table 1 and Plate 1). Rose hips
were highly variable among species. Average hip length and
diameter varied between 0.5 to 2.8 cm and 0.1 to 2.7 cm,
respectively. Rosa pimpinellifolium had tiny hips. The range
for number of hips was found to be 5 to 45 per cluster.
Rosa rugosa recorded larger hip size. Hip shape viz., sub-
globose, urn-shaped, ellipsoid and spindle were observed

Short communication

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 3 (2): 169-171, 2008



170

among the species. Majority of the species showed orange
and deep red hip color. Similarly, in Chile, variability for
hip size, pulp thickness and ascorbic acid was observed
among rose hips collected and evaluated from 60 different
locations. Morphological differences are evident in the wild
material, indicating that more than one species (and
probably several sub species and ecotypes) have developed

Table 1. Qualitative and quantitative characters in hips Rosa species

Species Shape of hip Length of hip Diameter of hip Color of hip Vestiture of hip Number of
 (cm) (cm) achenes

R. glutinosa Spindle 1.3 0.7 Orange red Hispid 18
R. macrophylla Oblong 2.1 1.0 Orange red Hispid 6
R. micrantha Spindle 2.0 1.0 Orange Hispid 5
R. multiflora Round 0.7 0.5 Orange red Glabrous 6
R. nitida Globose 1.4 0.9 Orange red Glabrous 10
R. rubinigosa Oblong 1.4 0.1 Orange red Glabrous 18
R. rubrifolia Round 1.4 1.1 Orange red Hispid 16
R. rugosa Globose 2.8 2.7 Orange red Glabrous 10
R. tomentosa Round 1.1 0.9 Orange red Glabrous 6
R. wichuriana Round 0.8 0.8 Orange red Glabrous 10
R. acicularis Urn 1.0 0.5 Dark red Glabrous 15
R. alba Oval 0.8 0.5 Red Glabrous 16
R. arvensis Oval 0.5 0.3 Red Glabrous 18
R. helenae Oval 0.7 0.6 Orange red Hispid 22
R. majalis Round 1.4 1.3 Scarlet Glabrous 24
R. mollis Spindle 1.5 1.2 Red Glabrous 20
R. moyesii Urn 2.3 2.0 Orange red Glabrous 40
R. nutkana Round 1.4 1.3 Red Hispid 8
R. pendula Pear 2.5 2.0 Red Glabrous 20
R. pimpinellifolia Oval 0.5 0.3 Red black Glabrous 45
R. rubus Oval 0.5 0.4 Orange red Glabrous 19
R. roxburghii Round 0.8 0.7 Red Hispid 20
SE - 0.14 0.13 - - 2.26
S.D (s) - 0.67 0.63 - - 10.60
CV - 51.14 66.31 - - 64.24

since introduction (Joublan et al, 1996).

Rosa moyesii (blue-green foliage and bright to
orange hips), Rosa glauca (bright scarlet hips), R.
pimpinellifolia (tiny, red-black hips) with attractive hips
having ornamental value can be utilized in landscaping and
for garden purposes.

Janakiram and Debner

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 3 (2): 169-171, 2008

Plate 1. Variability for hip characters in Rosa species



171

(MS Received 15 February 2008, Revised 11 August 2008)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The senior author is thankful to Indian National

Science Academy, New Delhi, India, and Deutsche
Forshungs Gemeinschaft, Germany for providing Visiting
Scientist Fellowship.

REFERENCES

Burgos, G.A. 1976. Uso de la rosa mosqueta (Rosa aff.
rubiginosa L.) como pigmentante en raciones para
ponedoras en jaula. Tesis Ing. Agr. Univ. Concepción

Cortés, J.C. 1976. Uso de la rosa mosqueta (Rosa aff.
rubiginosa L.) como pigmentante en raciones para

broilers. Tesis Ing. Agr. Univ. Concepción
Israel, J.M. and Benado, T.S. 1977. Aspectos preliminares

del aprovechamiento de la rosa mosqueta (Fructus
cynosbati) en Chile. Alimentos, 2: 5-8

Joublan, J.P., Berti, M., Serri, H., Wilckens, R., Hevia, and
Figueroa. I. 1996. Wild rose germplasm evaluation
in Chile. p. 584-588. In: J. Janick (ed.), Progress in
new crops. ASHS Press, Arlington, VA

Larraín, J.F.J. 1978. Uso de la cascarilla de mosqueta Rosa
aff. rubiginosa como fuente pigmentante en raciones
para ponedoras en jaulas. Tesis Ing. Agr. Univ.
Concepción

Variability in hip characters in Rosa species

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 3 (2): 169-171, 2008