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Can you eat rose stems and leaves?

ahappy camper zone10

8 years ago

Very silly question I know but I can't find any information about the leaves or stems being edible. I know you can eat the petals and the other part that is pushed as rose hips. I want to know about the other parts though. I know that taste and palatability is another issue.

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cecily

8 years ago

They're certainly not poisonous - my deer are alive and well.

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Comments (8)

Jasminerose, California, USDA 9b/Sunset 18
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Well, I know they are culinary-safe. I took a cake decorating class once and the teacher made chocolate leaves by using the textured underside of rose leaves as the mold. They came out great.
Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
8 years ago
According to Mother Earth News you can make tea from the leaves. They are high in tannins. But I wouldn't want to, just a personal choice.
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AquaEyes 7a NJ
8 years ago
In and of themselves, they're fine. I give pruning bits to Sammy, my DYH Amazon parrot, to destroy. But if you use insecticides or fungicides, that's another story.

:-)

~Christopher
jacqueline9CA
8 years ago
They might not be very easy to digest - I think deer have stomachs like cows do to deal with them. I know deers "chew their cud" - I have seen them laying down doing that.

Jackie
lam702
8 years ago
My cat seems to enjoy nibbling on them
HU-452453492
4 years ago
On the island of Cyprus, I ate pickled rose stems. They clip the stems in 4 inch lengths and put them in a pickling brine, thorns and all. The stems and thorns soften and take on the flavor of the brine. Quite nice.
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I never thought of giving my Amazon rose clippings. Good idea. I dont spray. Lord knows he loves to destroy stuff

He loves markers if he can get them he rips the lids off and chews them to bits spitting out the pieces then flips the marker upside down to bite the other end. We have all the markers on lockdown because of him lol. All he has to do is see a marker and he goes berzerk.

My chickens love the spent rose petals.

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