Morphological and chemical characteristics of fruits of selected Rosa sp.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological and chemical parameters, antioxidant activity (DPPH) of five rose species (Rosa rugosa, R. villosa, R. californica, R. spinosissima, and R. × damascene) and grouping them according to the harvest date. On the basis of the study, rose species grown in eastern Poland were grouped according to their harvest time, and three dates of cumulative ripeness of pseudofruits were distinguished. Rosehips of studied species varied referring to their harvest date and morphological properties and were characterized by diverse contents of primary metabolites analyzed. In addition, obtained extracts showed high antioxidant activity, which has a significant impact on their value for processing.