I have a rosa xanthina spontanea from High Country roses and have a question about hips. I didnt have space in my garden in nebraska for this rose so gave it to my parents. Now its a large beautiful shrub covered with deep red hips. Could these hips be ready for collection already? They are deep red in color and are starting to soften a little. Its a wonderful shrub and I would like to grow some of its op seeds. Would picking some to take home with me to Idaho right now be to early or should I have my parents mail them to me this fall?
Generally the hips of species roses ripen early, some in only 5 or 6 weeks from the time of pollination. So I’d say it’s quite likely the hips are ripe. I have already harvested some hips from my species and near-species roses.
Peter
I harvested my xanthina hips three weeks ago.
Had I waited, they would have dropped as in previous years when I left them on, anticipating incorrectly that they would hold on until winter.
Collect them now before they are critter food.