Roses aren’t just pretty to look at and useful as presents for your spouse on Valentine’s Day – in fact, there’s a surprising amount of survival uses for roses that not many people know exist.
From helping to prevent crime to nourishing your body (rose hips have more Vitamin C than an orange) these flowers are an awesome asset to have in the wild. Remember – roses aren’t the only plants that will aid you in survival, but knowledge of their uses could save you tons of time and resources.
7 Surprising Survival Uses For Roses
#1 – Use Rose Bushes To Prevent Crime:
Rose bushes have long been regarded for their beauty – but also their thick, piercing thorns. These thorns can defend and protect you from outside threats, and are an affordable, easy way to increase your home security.
Place rose bushes outside your home in locations that are less secure (such as underneath windows) and allow these beautiful but menacing bushes to protect your home from thieves and robbers.
As an added bonus, not only will the thorns cut and scratch intruders, but it’ll cause them to leave behind DNA in the form of blood, skin, or torn clothing, helping you find the criminal and press charges faster. Plus, these thorns help prevent animals from eating the bushes.
#2 – Replace Paracord/Rope:
If you’re in a dire situation and don’t have any rope or cord (or you just want to conserve it for later) rose stems are a flexible, practical solution. Use rose stems to tie things together (such as keys or light tools), make a tourniquet with them, or use them to secure things in place.
Their uses are endless – however, one quick tip: remove the rose’s thorns first by taking a thick rag and running it down the stem – the thorns will fall right off.
#3 – Eat the Rose Hips:
This might surprise you, but roses do bear fruit that is edible (and that even tastes good). They’re also highly nutritious, contain tons of vitamins (they have more vitamin C than oranges), have been proven to help treat urinary tract infections and the flu, and help boost the immune system. Make sure to remove the blossoms, stems and seeds before eating.
#4 – Eat The Rest Of The Rose:
If you need sustenance, the rose flower itself is edible raw or boiled, and you can even peel and eat the stems. You can also boil fresh rose leaves in tea, and grind dried rose hips to make flour. Dried roses can also be eaten to help ease heartburn.
#5 – Heal A Wound Faster:
If you have a cut/scrape and want to conserve your Band-Aids, rose petals are an effective alternative. Their natural antiviral, antibacterial and antiseptic properties make them the perfect compress. Apply fresh rose petals to the wound and bind (you could use a rose stem for this) to the area.
#6 – Use To Make Arrows:
If you’re in a bind, rose stems (especially multiple bound together) make excellent arrow shafts. Again – be sure to remove the stems beforehand using a thick rag.
#7 – Use Rose Hip Tea to Stop Diarrhea:
Rose hip tea is a natural astringent, and has been proven to help curb diarrhea and ease cramps. For maximum effectiveness, drink 2-3 cups of rose hip tea per day a day. Click here for more natural alternatives for pain relief.
Here’s a quick and easy way to make rose hip tea:
In order to get all the fantastic benefits of rose hip tea in the wilderness, you’re going to have to be prepared – that’s why we’re one step ahead of you with our Survival Stove Combo Pack. It’s got a high-quality portable stove, along with 48 extra fuel tablets to keep you eating and keep you moving.
