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Roselle

Hibiscus sabdariffa

Roselle is a tall, bushy hibiscus grown for its fleshy red calyxes, the cups that wrap each seed pod after the flower falls. They make a tart, cranberry-like tea, jelly and sauce, which is why Floridians call it Florida cranberry. Elsewhere it's sorrel, Jamaica sorrel or flor de Jamaica.

Growing facts

Scientific name
Hibiscus sabdariffa
Origin
Central and West Africa
Plant size
About 7 ft tall and bushy; pinching young plants makes more branches and more flowers
Growth rate
Fast
Sun
Full sun; it does poorly in shade
Soil
Well-amended, well-drained soil, watered regularly until established; the deep, wide taproot makes older plants fairly drought tolerant
Soil pH
No reliable figure in the sources used
Pollination
Self-fertile; each flower pollinates itself before it opens, so saved seed stays true
Cold hardiness
No frost tolerance; harvest before nights drop below about 40°F
USDA zones
Grown as an annual; hardy only in zones 9–10
Harvest
Flowers 3–5 months after planting, once days shorten in late summer and fall
When to plant (zones 9–11)
Apr, May, Aug
Water
About every 5 days once established, without rain; more in heat, in pots and while young
Taste
Tart and fruity, like cranberry or rhubarb; brews a deep red tea
Nutrition
No reliable figures in the sources used

Is roselle safe to eat? Edible and toxic parts

What you can eat

  • Fleshy calyxes, fresh or dried
  • Young leaves, raw or cooked as a green
  • Seeds, roasted

Toxic parts and cautions

  • Good to know: Dried seed pods have sharp, pointed tips, and some pods carry short, stiff hairs that prick. Wear gloves when shelling a big harvest.
  • Good to know: Root-knot nematodes are the main pest; plant it in a different bed each year.

Pets: No reliable data on toxicity for dogs, cats or other pets.

How to eat and enjoy roselle

  • Hot or iced hibiscus tea
  • Jelly, jam and sauce in place of cranberries
  • In pies and crisps in place of rhubarb
  • A spiced holiday drink, as in the Caribbean
  • Young leaves cooked as a tart green

When it's ripe

Calyxes reach full size about two weeks after the flower opens; pick them then, while plump and tender, before they turn fibrous or brown. In Florida that's mostly October and November. Picking often brings more buds.

Storing it

Fresh calyxes keep about a week. Pop out the seed pod first, then use, freeze or dry them.

Pests and diseases to watch for

  • Scale insects

    Small bumps, waxy or shell-like, on stems and leaf veins; sticky honeydew and black sooty mold below.

    What to do: Scrub small colonies off with a soft brush.

  • Mealybugs

    White cottony clusters in leaf joints, under leaves and on fruit stems; honeydew and sooty mold.

    What to do: Blast off with a strong spray of water.

  • Aphids

    Clusters of tiny soft insects on new shoots; leaves curl and get sticky.

    What to do: Spray off with water.

  • Sooty mold

    Black, papery film on leaves and fruit that wipes off; it grows on honeydew.

    What to do: Control the insects making honeydew; the mold then weathers away.

  • Spider mites

    Fine pale speckling on leaves, dusty undersides and fine webbing; leaves bronze and drop.

    What to do: Hose the undersides of leaves.

Growing roselles? Let Yardkin keep track.

Yardkin tells you when your roselle needs water based on your local weather, reminds you to feed and prune in season, and keeps every harvest and photo.

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General guidance, not medical or veterinary advice. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435.