Hibiscus sabdariffa
50 seed
"Roselle"
PlantDescription:Ifyou are in Egypt andsomeone offers you hibiscus tea, that¿¿¿s the plant you will betasting. It¿¿¿s a common drink in Egypt and surroundingcountries and has been used and grown there for thousands of years.
TheRoselle (Hibiscussabdariffa) is a species of hibiscus native to the Old Worldtropics. It is anannual or perennial herb or woody-based subshrub, growing to 2¿¿¿2.5m tall. The leaves are deeply three- to five-lobed, 8¿¿¿15 cm long,arranged alternately on the stems.The flowers are 8¿¿¿10 cm indiameter, white to pale yellow with a dark red spot at the base ofeach petal, and have a stout fleshy calyx at the base, 1.5¿¿¿2 cmwide, enlarging to 3¿¿¿3.5 cm, fleshy and bright red as the fruitmatures. It is an annual plant, and takes about six months tomature.
¿¿Howto grow:Roselle is very sensitiveto frost. grow best in tropical and subtropical climate. Sow seed infairly fertile sandy loam soil in nursery bed and transplanted when 3to 4 inches. Require watering regularly to promote growth.
GrowingSeason:Latespring to Fall¿¿
MaturityPeriod:¿¿Beginharvesting the calyx as soon as the flower has wilted and the huskturns red and fleshy
Usage:
Thisfresh Roselle is the main contents in preparing Roselle basedproducts such as various types of drinks, puree, jam, Rosellevinegar, foods, garnishing, for bakery and medication preparation.Thered calyces of the plant are increasingly exported to Americaand Europe, wherethey are used as food colorings. Germanyis the mainimporter. It can also be found in markets (as flowers or syrup) insome places such as France, where there are Senegalese immigrantcommunities. The green leaves are used like a spicy version ofspinach. They give flavour to the Senegalese fish and rice dishthi¿¿boudieune. In Africa, especially the Sahel, roselle is commonlyused to make a sugary herbal tea that is commonly sold on the street.The dried flowers can be found in every market. In the Caribbeanthe drink is madefrom the fresh fruit, and it is considered an integral part ofChristmas celebrations.
NutritionInfo:¿¿Roselle/Hibiscusapart from having natural color (red) and taste(light sour), thepetal (calyx) rich with Vitamins, Citric Acid and Malic Acid,VitaminA, Niacin and Calcium and no Caffeine.
HealthBenefits:¿¿Rosellecalyces areharvested fresh to produce pro-health drink due to high contents ofvitamin C and anthocyanins. have been used since ancient times as aboost to promote and maintain optimal health by locals. Made into atea drink, it is known to exert a cooling action, helping withdigestion and with elimination of internal dampness and heat.
Roselleis associated withtraditional medicine and is reported to be used as treatment forseveral diseases such as hypertension and urinary tract infections.
