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Rosaceae Family -

Rosa is the ancient Latin name for "rose".

In 1897 the State Legislature of Iowa named the wild rose the state flower. At the time, any of the species growing within the boundaries of the state were to be considered the state flower. Most often anymore, the accepted species is Rosa blanda (Meadow Rose), even though it only grows in the northern half of the state. Rosa spp. hybridize at will in the wild making precise identification of individual species very difficult. Most of the Rosa species are found under wide-ranging conditions in prairies and meadows. They average about 4 feet in height and tend to become quite shrubby as they grow. The pink colored flowers bloom from June through August.

The Meskwaki and Menomini Indians boiled rose hips to make a syrup for a multitude of food uses. The skins of the boiled hips were used to treat stomach troubles. The Chippewa used the second layer of skin beneath the outer skin of the rose hips by scraping it into a cloth, soaking it in water and then squeezing that liquid into the eyes like eyedrops for sore or inflamed eyes. (This was the first step in a procedure that next involved the same process using red raspberry root.) Both Native Americans and early settlers boiled rose hips for food. They also ate the leaves, flowers and young shoots when other food was scarce.

It is said that 3 single rose hips contain the same amount of vitamin C as a large orange.