Well... TIL that rose hips don't come from roses. I always wondered where the hell they'd come from on a _rose_... And now I know... Nowhere on the rose, that's where they come from.
I'm an idiot.
But a little less of one now than I was earlier.
Thanks for sharing, Sam! <3
@401matthall But they do come from roses. Just from the wild ones.
Oh... Wait... So... Only roses that reproduce sexually produce rose hips?
@401matthall @papperlapapp They are from the base of rose flowers. I think both domestic and wild.
I swear I'm not an idiot. I've been aware of rose hips _forever_... But I've never seen them before.
I assumed most 'commercially' sold roses were clones and didn't bear fruit.
Mayhaps, some are in fact clones, but the reason they don't bear fruit seems to be the number of petals and their density prevents pollinators from actually _pollinating_ the plant.
So... I dunno if I knew any of that but I feel like I should've.
... Am I just makin' shit up here?
@401matthall @sundogplanets @papperlapapp now that you’ve seen them, you’ll start seeing them everywhere, especially this time of year. There are several flowerpots with them on my NYC street.
Here's hoping, I'm mostly frustrated that I wasn't able to work out on my own how the fruiting process worked because I had some weird lingering belief that the roses I buy in the supermarket are the only roses in existence and... I _know_ better.
Brains are f'ing weird. If f'ing _seen_ rosebushes before. <sigh>
Anywho... I am looking forward to seeing the rose fruits given the chance.
Thanks for going on this silly brain journey with me! <3
@401matthall Happy to join you. I had never noticed them until kiddo started pointing out “rose fruits”
@401matthall @sundogplanets @papperlapapp
Just in case you're still wondering about any of this, this commercially grown rose plant was gifted to me a few years ago. It's currently in bloom but also has a rose hip on it. 🙂
@grb090423 @sundogplanets @papperlapapp
<3
... The experience of having an idea about how a biological _thing_ works and finding you've transposed and fuzzed a random conversation without evidence and treated as truth in your brain is _wild_.
Previously, I've chastised people for not understanding basic biology. 👀
Now I'm the ass. 🫏
I don't care for it. I'm literally setting aside time to re-read about flowering and fruiting plants because I've obviously forgotten or missed something.
@401matthall @sundogplanets @papperlapapp
I'm certain you aren't alone in this. You're probably one of the few to openly admit to confusion/mistake. The world needs more of you! 🙂
You're very kind. I've found being the first one through the manager's door saying, "Hold on! I definitely screwed up! There'll be a delay because of it but I'm actively in the middle of resolving it with new information, I'll update you in twenty minutes," creates the kind of understanding and trust I want in my world.
This just feels the same.
Also, it really is a fascinating experience to briefly feel a little dizzy as you realize something you've believe is true simply isn't.
@grb090423 @401matthall Biology is COMPLICATED and there's so much to learn! Don't feel bad. XKCD even has a comic exactly about learning that you don't know something: https://xkcd.com/1053/
@401matthall @grb090423 Hilariously, my kids got both a can of coke and a pack of mentos while trick-or-treating last night, so GUESS WHAT I"M DOING TODAY!
@401matthall @grb090423 @sundogplanets @papperlapapp I have a theory and absolutely reasonable reason why you might not have appreciated the existence of hips on ornamental roses: that many gardeners will religiously dead-head them as soon as the petals drop, resulting in no hips.
Does that tally?
I am a lazy gardener and my rose bushes are covered in them 😅
@samsterby @401matthall @sundogplanets @papperlapapp
Same here 🙂
It does for _me_, yes. I'd assume that's a practice on the dozen roses I can buy in a fridge at WalMart or some other chain store.
@401matthall @sundogplanets
Yes, they come from the rare, endangered rose hippopotamus. Poachers kill many of those hippos for their hips.
:-(
I deserved that one. <3
Nov 1, 2026, 4:08 AM@brouhaha @401matthall @sundogplanets
(unrelated tangent:
Baby, it's been so long
That even the rose's hips are turning me on
Baby, it's been so long
https://genius.com/Murder-by-death-fuego-lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq8w0_bKbgY
)
Nov 1, 2026, 4:11 AM@brouhaha @401matthall @sundogplanets which, uh, given that the name in Dakota means "itchy ass berries", really puts that song in a whole new light...