Hibiscus buds on branches

Roselle hibiscus

Latin Name: Hibiscus sabdariffa

Family: Malvaceae

Other names: Roselle hibiscus flower, rosa de Jamaica Jamaican sorrel, red-sorrel

Culinary use

Outer part of the flower eaten raw or cooked. Eaten in salads. Cooked and used as a flavouring in cakes. Used in jellies, soups, sauces, pickles. Used commonly in teas. seeds are roasted and eaten as snack, or ground into a powder and used in oily soups and sauces. Roasted seeds also used as a coffee substitute.

Medicinal use

Used in herbal supplements and remedies. Lowers blood pressure, lowers cholesterols, prevents clogged arteries, anti-diabetic, diuretic, keeps heart healthy, helps treat hypertension. Aromatic, astringent, cooling herb.

Other information

Nutrients: Pectin, citric acid

Origin: Tropical central or western Africa

Region: Tropics, subtropics. Lowland, humid, tropical climates

Sources

Rain-tree

The ferns