Rosa roxburghii

Rosa roxburghii

　　 Rosa roxburghii, a plant of the genus Rosa in the Rosaceae family, grows wild in Guizhou Province and includes two species: the common Rosa roxburghii and the “hookless Rosa roxburghii” (also known as seedless Rosa roxburghii). The common species has two variants: one is called “smooth-skinned Rosa roxburghii,” and the other is “welcoming spring.” Rosa roxburghii is a wild small shrub that blooms pink, red, or deep red flowers from April to June, bearing fruit in autumn. The fruit is mostly flat and spherical, typically 2–4 cm in diameter, ripening between August and September. The ripe fruit is yellow, sometimes with a reddish blush. The flesh is crisp and develops a strong, fragrant aroma when mature. The surface of the fruit is densely covered with tiny fleshy spines, which is why it is commonly called “Rosa roxburghii.” The fruit is rich in vitamin C—fresh edible portions generally contain about 2,000 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, along with 500–1,000 mg of tannins, 1–2 grams of acid, and roughly 4 grams of total sugars.

Rosa roxburghii is native to southwestern China, with the largest and highest-quality yields found in Guizhou. According to *A Record of Travels Through Guizhou and Yunnan*, Rosa roxburghii grows wild, flowers in summer and bears fruit in autumn. Its fruit is covered in many thorns, tastes sweet and sour, and relieves discomfort when eaten. When boiled into a paste, it resembles hawthorn in color. It is widely produced throughout the region but cannot be cultivated elsewhere. In *Complete Works of Chao Jing Chao*, there is a line that reads: “The fragrant rice is often praised in fields; the Rosa roxburghii is frequently picked on roadsides.” In the late Qing Dynasty, Guizhou poet Mo Youzhi wrote a famous line about Rosa roxburghii: “Its shape may not please the eye, yet its flavor surely lifts the brow.” The fruit of Rosa roxburghii is thick-fleshed and highly nutritious. When the fruit ripens, residents of Guizhou and Yunnan remove the spines and eat it fresh, preserve it in sugar, extract its fragrance for making liquor, or dry it for medicinal use. At first bite, it tastes sour and astringent, but gradually becomes sweet and delicious. It is very inexpensive in the market.

In the early 1940s, the renowned Chinese nutritional chemist Professor Luo Dengyi discovered that Rosa roxburghii fruit contains extremely high levels of vitamin C and P, earning it the title of the “vitamin C king” among fruits. A popular saying in the province goes, “The nutritional value of one Rosa roxburghii equals that of three eggs.” A normal adult can meet their daily physiological needs for vitamin C and P by eating just half a Rosa roxburghii. Research has confirmed that the vitamin C content in fresh Rosa roxburghii fruit far exceeds that of any other fruit—it is ten times that of kiwifruit, eighteen times that of Sha Tin pears, fifty times that of sweet oranges, one hundred times that of red tangerines, and five hundred times that of pears and apples. Processed foods made from Rosa roxburghii, such as juices, refreshing drinks, jams, and fruit wines, are not only rich in nutrients and delicious in taste but also maintain a high vitamin C content. They are important nutritional foods for special operation personnel in aviation, navigation, high-altitude environments, and mining, as well as for the elderly, the weak, women, and children.