Native to Kashmir:
Rosa canina, also known as the Dog Rose or Briar Rose, is native to Kashmir, along with other regions like Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia.
Appearance:
It's a vigorous, scrambling, deciduous shrub with pale pink flowers and produces small, round, red to orange fruits called rose hips.
Rose Hips:
The rose hips, which are the fruit of the wild rose plant, are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids.
Uses:
Herbal Medicine: Rose hips have been used in herbal medicine for boosting immunity and alleviating inflammation.
Food :
Antioxidants: Rose hips are rich in polyphenolics, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and lycopene, which demonstrate its rich antioxidant activity.
Variability in Kashmir:
Studies in Kashmir have shown a wide variability in the bioactive compounds and antioxidant profiles of different Rosa canina accessions.
Study :
There have been studies conducted in the cold desert regions of Kashmir, including the Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre in Southeren Kashmir , to assess the diversity of wild rose hips and their bioactive compounds.