Nature's Bounty
Summer Roses
Roses have a very long history of culinary, medicinal and magical use. Like many of our helpful plant friends, they are growing all around and we have forgotten that they are there for us.
Any rose petal can be used as long as it is growing in a non-polluted area and not sprayed with chemicals. Yes, the pink, purple, yellow, gold, white and orange petals from your rose bushes are medicinal. Use any rose petal as long as it has not been sprayed. Commercially bought roses are usually grown with lots of pesticides. Look for roses at the farmers market or grow your own organic roses.
The rose is considered the queen of flowers and is used to attract love and ease the woes of the heart. There are over 10,000 cultivated species of roses and we have a beautiful wild California rose, Rosa californica that you can find in habitat waterways growing from about 1,000 feet sea level to 8,000 feet in the Sierras. Rose petals sprinkled around the house bring peace and calm. Roses in the garden attract fairies.
There are hundreds of ways to use rose petals. Start by eating them! Chop up your fresh rose petals and put them on your sandwiches and in your salads. Rose petals are high in vitamin C and iron. They are full of bioflavonoids, which mean they help to strengthen circulation and tonify the cardiovascular system. Roses are known for their ability to strengthen the heart and lift the spirit. They are soothing, calming and help to regulate menstruation. Rose petals are cooling and can be put in teas and drinks to reduce heat and inflammation.
Rose Petal Tea
1 tablespoon dried Rose petals or two tablespoons fresh Rose petals
1 ½ cups of water
Put roses and water in a pot. Heat with medium temperature for about ten minutes with the lid on. Turn off the heat and let sit for one half hour. Strain the petals out, add the tea to some lemonade, soda water or just add a little honey to the tea and drink.
A cup of rose tea can help to calm the nerves, fight off a sore throat or cold, open the heart and calm the mind. Rose petal tea can also be used as a mouthwash to help resolve bleeding gums, inflammation and ulcerations in the mouth
Triple the amount of ingredients in the rose tea recipe and put it in a footbath basin. Soak your feet in the rose tea to draw excessive heat from the body. The rose tea footbath helps relieve heat and inflammation associated with rashes, sun exposure and hot arthritic joints. It can help soothe irritability and anger and has a restorative effect on the nervous system.
Rose Petal Vinegar
1 pint organic apple cider vinegar
2 cups fresh or dried Rose petals
Fill a pint jar full of fresh or dried rose petals. Then fill the jar with apple cider vinegar so it covers the rose petals completely. Let the petals soak in the vinegar for three weeks and then strain the petals from the vinegar and discard them. You now have a rose petal vinegar that has a shelf life of about one year. It is important not to store it in any container that has metal; the vinegar will eat the metal and destroy your concoction.
Rose petal vinegar can be applied topically for lots of ailments. Once again, think of roses as cooling and soothing. Rose vinegar is great for acne, sunburns, strains, sprains, ulcerative skin conditions, cuts, scrapes and insect bites. Put cool rose vinegar on a washcloth and apply it to the head for heat headaches.
Put two tablespoons of rose petal vinegar into ½ cup of warn water and gargle for sore throats. It is astringent and antibacterial so it helps to tighten the skin and draw out infection. You can also put your rose vinegar in salad dressings!
This time honored flower is a medicine chest in itself. Let the roses be your healer.
Kami McBride has helped thousands of people learn to use herbs in their daily lives in ways that are healthy, safe and fun. She is the director of Cultivating the Herbal Medicine Woman Within, an experiential training in using herbs in the home for everyday health. An intuitive and inspiring teacher, Kami works to revive the cultural art of home herbal care and teaches herbology as a relationship with the Earth and a way of life. For a schedule of classes or herbal consultations Kami can be reached at (707) 446-1290 or sign up for her free herbal e-newsletter at: www.livingawareness.com.
