The Rose of Faery
The Name
The ‘Dog Rose” comes from the Latin name 'Rosa canina', which means 'rose with dog-like teeth or thorns'. The name is derived from the Greek word 'kunórodon', which also means 'with sharp teeth or thorns'. This name was given due to the resemblance of the plant's thorns to a dog's teeth. In ancient times, people believed that this plant's root could cure a mad dog's bite.
The Dog Rose is also known as the 'wild rose', 'briar' or 'witches' briar'. The latter name originated in Ireland, where people believed that the plant had magical powers of love, luck, healing, and protection. The Rose is the national flower of England, and there are fourteen native wild species.
This plant grows rapidly during the summer and can reach up to 4m in height if left unchecked. The flowers, which bloom from June to July, have a nice fragrance and a deep pink and white colour with five petals. The flowers give way to the 'rose hip', which turns shiny and is a brilliant orange colour when ripe.
Folklore and Symbolism
The folklore associated with this plant is strongly linked with the mythology of Elves and vampires. It was said that when the flower petals were thrown at a vampire, it would be mystically compelled to stop what it was doing and count them. In addition, when a vampire was buried, it was common to plant a Dog Rose on top of the grave to prevent resurrection.
The Briar Rose is a flower that's also known as the Rose of Faery. It's believed to grow near gateways into the otherworld and symbolizes the love between the human and faery worlds. This wild, untamed rose is associated with beauty, innocence, magic, and the Irish Faery Queen, Àine.
In mythology, the Briar Rose appears as the Rose of the Otherworld. In the tale of Tamlin and the game of Chess, Tamlin's beloved plucks this very rose, which leads him to enter the human world.
To help growers and early pharmacists identify which wild rose was which, an old medieval country riddle called 'The Five Brethren of the Dog Rose' was created.
The five sepals, found below the petals, are related to the 'brethren'. Two sepals have whiskers on both sides, two are smooth, and the fifth is whiskered on one side only.
The Five Petals Rose is also considered the Rose of Venus in new Gnosticism due to its symbolic geomancy. This rose is often depicted in art, especially on stained glass windows.
The Celts used to call the Briar Rose the Faery Rose or Rosa Alba.
It grows around or near thin places where the world of faery and our world merge into one. In mythopoetry, this rose symbolizes the love between humans and faeries and is a motif of many cautionary tales.
Folk Medicine
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the roots were crushed and the juice ingested to treat the bite of rabid dogs. The raw roots were also fed to goats to aid digestion. The hips are an excellent source of Vitamin C, .This rosehip has long been harvested in the UK, aspecially during the second world war, and pretty much the only faery flower we are generally welcome to pick without warning or serious faery consequence.
The flowers and hips are aperient, astringent and stomachic. An infusion of dried rose petals can be used to treat headaches and dizziness, with honey added the infusion is used as a heart and nerve tonic and a blood purifier. A decoction of the petals is used to treat mouth sores. The seed is rich in vitamin E and an oil extracted from the seed is used externally to treat burns, scars and wrinkles. The fruit of many members of this genus is a vibrant source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavanoids and other bio-active compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers.
