Roselle and Other Edible Hibiscus



From Community blogs, Leon County, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
by Janis Piotrowski



Roselle can be used fresh or dried in many dishes, including jams, sauces, and teas

Trevor Hylton, a Leon County UF/IFAS Extension Agent who hails from Jamaica, had been telling the VegHeadz volunteers in the demonstration vegetable garden at the Extension Office on Paul Russell Road, about Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). It grows wild in his home country, and is also widely cultivated there. He planted one in the VegHeadz garden a few years ago, but we pretty much ignored it since it was not something we were familiar with, and didn’t know what to do with it.

That is often the case with edibles that are commonplace in another area of the country, or in other parts of the world. Through experimenting, we’ve learned there are many of these unfamiliar plants we can grow here. They often fill in the gaps in growing seasons to provide a year-round diet of healthy and interesting foods.


Roselle calyxes are a beautiful shade of deep red

When Roselle seeds were included in a bunch of perennial vegetables obtained from the Edible Plant Project in Gainesville (http://edibleplantproject.org) for the demonstration garden, we eventually decided to try planting some. An interesting plant emerged, growing fast, and then sprawling over a considerable space in the garden. It seemed to have little to recommend, except attractive green leaves with red stems, until late in the summer when it began to bloom. Simple pale yellow flowers with dark centers emerged, similar to others in the Malvaceae or mallow family such as okra, hollyhock, or cotton.

What really got our attention were the fleshy dark red bulbs developing below the blooms, the calyxes or calyces, which were attractive and intriguing. Then we learned most parts of the plant are edible. Roselle is sometimes called Florida Cranberry, but it does not have the bitter undertones of cranberries, and there is a hint of raspberry in the flavor. The leaves have a tart rhubarb-like flavor and are sometimes cooked as greens or used in salads.

In our area, Roselle is an annual, which we have planted each year from seed. We start it in pots about six weeks before the last frost, and plant it in the ground in April or May. It can also be grown from cuttings. It will grow in full sun to part shade, in almost any soil. It benefits from the addition of compost and organic matter, and prefers evenly moist soil, although it is somewhat drought tolerant. Fertilizer should not be necessary. It may reach six to eight feet tall and equally as wide. It will begin to bloom when the days start to shorten and will continue until the first frost.


Picking a Roselle calyx

The calyxes should be harvested no more than a day or two after the blooms drop, as they will become fibrous as they mature. One variety of Roselle is used like hemp to make burlap.

Inside each calyx is a marble-sized seed capsule that should be removed before using the flesh. Save some of the capsules, which when dried will open and reveal the seeds, which can be saved for planting the following year. The calyxes can be used fresh or dried for later use in sauces and jams. They contain pectin, so additional pectin is not necessary when making jam. Red Zinger tea is made from dried Roselle. The fresh or dried flesh can be used for teas and other refreshing drinks. Cook with sugar like cranberries to make a sauce for use on ice cream and other desserts, on French toast, or as a side to meats. Place a little of the sauce at the bottom of a wine glass. Add wine or champagne for a special occasion drink. Roselle cheesecake is a show-stopper. For more information about removing the seeds, and a recipe or two, see the VegHeadz blog below.

Fun in the Garden - Roselle (How to Remove the Seed Capsule), VegHeadz Blog


Cranberry hibiscus is an edible perennial, and is often used in teas or even salads and stir fries

Roselle should not be confused with Cranberry Hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella), a perennial which is also edible. Its maple-shaped leaves are a bold purplish bronze, which pop as a border or specimen plant in the landscape. It may die back in the winter, but unless there is a very hard freeze, will return in the spring. Grow in full sun to light shade in well-drained soil. Prune to obtain a full bushy plant. The flowers and leaves are used to make tea, with the flowers making a sweeter tea, and the leaves are more tart or astringent. Young, tender leaves can be used in salads and stir fries, and the flower petals can be added to anything which would benefit from a tart citrusy flavor. It does not have a fleshy calyx like Roselle.

A third type of edible hibiscus, Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), has much larger flowers in a wide range of colors. Originating in Asia, and grown widely there, it is rated for growing zones 9 and 10, and is probably a tender perennial in our area (Zone 8b), where it might best be grown in a large container.

All of these hibiscus are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Even if they weren’t good to eat, they would be worth having in your yard. For more information on growing and using Roselle, see http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/roselle.html.

Janis Piotrowski is a Master Gardener volunteer with the UF/IFAS Leon County Extension. She hosts blogs about gardening and sustainable living in North Florida at www.northfloridavegheadz.blogspot.com.



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Fun in the Garden - Roselle (How to Remove the Seed Capsule) Page


Bibliography

Piotrowski, Janis. "Roselle and Other Edible Hibiscus." June 9, 2017, Community blogs, blogs.tallahassee.com/community/2017/06/07/roselle-and-other-edible-hibiscus/. Accessed 2 July 2019.

Photographs

Fig. 1 Piotrowski, Janis. "Roselle can be used fresh." June 9, 2017, Community blogs, blogs.tallahassee.com/community/2017/06/07/roselle-and-other-edible-hibiscus/. Accessed 2 July 2019.
Fig. 2 Lyons, Becky. "Roselle calyxes are a beautiful shade of deep red." June 9, 2017, Community blogs, blogs.tallahassee.com/community/2017/06/07/roselle-and-other-edible-hibiscus/. Accessed 2 July 2019.
Fig. 3 Lyons, Becky. "Picking a Roselle calyx." June 9, 2017, Community blogs, blogs.tallahassee.com/community/2017/06/07/roselle-and-other-edible-hibiscus/. Accessed 2 July 2019.
Fig. Maligne-Lynch, Regine. "Cranberry hibiscus is an edible perennial." June 9, 2017, Community blogs, blogs.tallahassee.com/community/2017/06/07/roselle-and-other-edible-hibiscus/. Accessed 2 July 2019.

Published 24 Sept. 2019 KJ
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