Winter Trail Nibble: Rose Hips

Rose Hips in January

You have been snowshoeing for the past 2 1/2 hours, trudging through the deep fluff and the whipping wind, armored with wool and fleece. Your muscles burn and sweat accumulates but you are fueled by Mother Nature's extreme conditions. Through your ski goggles you catch a glimpse of something red against the stark white background. You stand there with your multiple layers of synthetic insulation enamored by this tiny sphere with its shiny red skin exposed and clinging to its woody anchor in the middle of January. You notice the thorns and the fine dark hairs atop the crimson ball resembling that of a toupee. You reach down, pluck the little fruit from its stem and taste its pulpy flesh for the first time. You savor its mildly sweet and tart flavor. A surge of excitement runs through your body as you realize you have discovered the rose hip.

Rose Hip Cross Section

A rose hip is packed with vitamin C so it makes for a nutritious trail nibble in the dead of winter if you are lucky enough to come across one. The cross section above shows the seeds and the fine fibers that are encapsulated by the pulpy flesh.