Written by Maryann Readal
Roselle hibiscus is The Herb Society’s Herb of the Month for July. With bright red calyces, green leaves, red stems, and cream-colored, okra-like flowers, Hibiscus sabdariffa also known as red zinger, red sorrel, sour tea, Florida cranberry, and roselle. It makes an unusual and impressive plant in the garden. We don’t often think of the red zinger hibiscus as a landscape plant, but it really can be.
And of course, an interesting note about hibiscus is that the whole plant has many uses. The bright red petals surrounding the seeds can be dried and used to make hot or cold tea. In Jamaica and much of Latin America, this red drink is a popular Christmas and festive drink. Fresh red calyces can also be chopped and used in fruit salads. They can be cooked into a sauce such as cranberry sauce. If you make jelly from calyces, pectin does not need to be added as roselle calyces contain enough pectin (Qi, 2005). Leaves and tender shoots of the plant can be added to salads. In some countries the leaves are eaten as a vegetable and as a meat accompaniment. The seeds are high in protein and can be roasted and ground to use as a powder for making soups and sauces. They can also be pressed to obtain oil, and the straw left over from milling can be fed to livestock. Chickens enjoy the seeds. The fiber from the stems can be processed into yarn or into a rough fabric such as burlap (Duke, 1998). It is truly a versatile plant.
Hibiscus tea has many health benefits including lowering blood pressure, documented in clinical trials (Cattleman, 2020). Tea helps to cool the body, making it a very common drink in hot, humid climates (Qi, 2005). In Africa, India, and Mexico, flowers, leaves, calyces and stems of this plant are used in traditional medicine. In some countries, the root is also used for medicine.
This plant is found in West Africa and Southeast Asia. It is thought that this plant reached the New World on slave ships carrying enslaved West Africans. Roselle, along with other African plants, were loaded onto ships for use as food during transatlantic voyages. Common plants were then used as food and medicine by Africans when they arrived in the New World (Carney, 2013).
If you plan to grow Hibiscus sabdariffa in your garden, be prepared to give it plenty of sun, water, and room to grow. It can easily reach six to seven feet in length. Pruning it in early spring will encourage branching. Roselle will not tolerate frost, making it an annual in all tropical climates. It doesn’t bloom until the days get shorter, usually in October. Some say that the calyces should not be harvested until a few days after the okra-like flowers have bloomed. The plant is easily propagated by seed.
No matter what you call it or what you use it for, roselle is an interesting herb to know and grow. I love this plant!
For more information about Hibiscus sabdariffaplease see The Herb Society’s Herb of the Month webpage.
Drug Disclaimer: It is the policy of The Herb Society of America, Inc. not advising or recommending medical or health remedies. This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement of any particular treatment or health care. Please consult a health care provider before pursuing any herbal treatment.
Photo credits: 1) Roselle tea; 2) roselle calyces; 3) Hibiscus sabdariffa plant (Jean Marsh); 4) A large white roselle flower; 5) Roselle seed pods with calyces removed. All images courtesy of the author, unless otherwise indicated.
References
Almajid, Ali, et al. 2023. Exploring the health benefits and medicinal potential of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) in human subjects: A comprehensive review. Accessed 6/29/24. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10676230/
Carney, Jean. 2013. Seeds of memory: Botanical legacies of the African diaspora. In: Voeks, R., Rashford, J. (eds) African Ethnobotany in the Americas. Springer, New York, NY.Accessed 7/3/24. Available from
Cattleman, Michael. 2020. Hibiscus tea for low blood pressure. Accessed 7/3/24. Available from
Duke, James A. 1998. Handbook of energy crops: Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Accessed 6/29/24. Available from
Martinez, Janel. 2023. History of hibiscus drinks in African countries. Accessed 7/3/24. Available from
Qi, Yadong, et al. 2005. Biological properties, nutrition and medicinal value of Roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa. Accessed 6/29/24. Available from
Mariann is a member of The Herb Society of America’s Texas Thyme Unit in Huntsville, TX. She is a Texas Master Gardener and a certified Native Landscape Specialist with the Texas Native Plant Society and has received The Herb Society’s Nancy Putnam Award for Excellence in Horticulture. He teaches and writes about herbs and plants and conducts plant training in several Master Gardener programs. He gardens among the pines of the Piney Woods of East Texas.
