Dog-rose

Description:

Irish Name: Feirdhris Fragrant and well loved shrub of Irish hedgerows, Dog-rose produces pink or white flowers from June to August. The five-petalled flowers (3-5cm across) are borne on green arching branches with curved thorns and behind the petals, the sepals bend back after the flowers have opened. At the centre of each rose is a cluster of yellow stamens. The pretty pinnate leaves have 5 – 7 broad, hairless leaflets. In autumn, the fruits are red hips which shed their sepals before ripening. This is a native plant which belongs to the family Rosaceae. Roses can be difficult to name and there are many hybrids.

Notes:

The briars or stems of the Dog-rose feature in our folklore from Co. Cavan: 'When a child was after being born, if it didn't pass urine they would burn a handful of briars under it and it would be all right then'. From the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. NFC S 815:1 From Co Laois.