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Roselle, a kind of hibiscus known scientifically as Hibiscus sabdariffa, is a pretty plant to grow. The fruit calyxes of the plant can also be made into an nutritious, onolicious tea.
Like other hibiscus and relatives, roselle is in the Malvaceae plant family, native to tropical West Africa.
Similar to most flowering and fruiting plants, it will grow best in full sun with regular watering. It should be planted in soil rich in organic matter that can drain well. The plants like to grow in the ground, where they can spread their roots and really take off to become large and fruitful. They can grow to more than 7 feet. If you prefer the plants shorter, trim them and make cuttings to share.
You can also grow roselle in a large pot on a sunny lanai.
The plant has pinkish-red flowers; flowering is a good sign that you will soon have fruit to dry for tea.
After the flower petals drop, watch for the reddish fruit to develop. Once some fruits develop you can gently pluck them off the stem. Pull them apart and let them dry in the sun for a few days.
In Sri Lanka the young leaves are added to curry as a nutritious vegetable. It has other common names such as Jamaican sorrel, red sorrel and rama. In addition to the tea, the calyxes can be made into jam or jelly, and even pickles and ice cream.
MAKING ROSELLE TEA
Place some dried fruit in a teapot. Add boiling water and let it steep five to seven minutes. Then drink and enjoy. It’s ono as a hot or chilled beverage. The tea, which will be reddish, is tart. Add honey or other sweeteners to taste.
Nutritionally, roselle is high in vitamin C and anthocyanins. A nutritional analysis of roselle calyxes showed they are high in calcium, iron, niacin and riboflavin. They are also a source of antioxidants, and anthocyanins, which act as free radical scavengers.
Roselle is a great crop for home gardeners and for our farmers and value-added cooperative producers here in the islands.
Beyond its nutritional value, roselle has a useful fiber. If your plants get too big, you can make rope out of them. Or use the fiber in lei-making, similar to hau.
Get a plant at your favorite nursery or garden shop. Benefit plant sales like those at Foster Botanical Garden, Lyon Arboretum and Waimea often have roselle plants for sale. Look for them at garden shops like Koolau Farmers, or ask them to bring in plants for you. If a friend has a plant, you can grow one from seed.
The seeds are also available online from places like mainland seed source Renee’s Garden. Renee’s also has an online video on plucking the rosy calyxes and brewing the pretty tea.
If you don’t want to brew your own roselle drinks, my friend Cheryl To of Pacifikool makes and sells different refreshing drinks using ginger, galangal (a Thai ginger) and roselle. She notes that roselle tea is also said to lower blood pressure.
Find her and her drinks at the farmers market at Kapiolani Community College and sometimes at the farmers market in Kailua. Her yummy concentrated drinks are sold at Tamura’s stores, Don Quijote supermarkets, Whole Foods Markets and in Foodland’s gourmet section, R. Field Wine Co.
Heidi Bornhorst is a sustainable landscape consultant specializing in native, xeric and edible gardens. Reach her at heidibornhorst@gmail.com.
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