Tweet Despite sounding like an anatomical structure, the term rose hips actually refers to the seed pods of roses. All rose species bear these, but becuase most rose bushes are trimmed and pruned we rarely see them today. Normally, species of the Rosa Canina family will form these small, berry-sized, reddish seed balls after petals fall in late summer. The seed pods, harvested in the late fall, are prized for their medicinal properties and widely cultivated for their usefulness. According to the ancient literature, the Chinese, Persians, Romans, and Greeks all used the rose seed pod for a variety of purposes and sometimes called it a “hip” or a.
