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