Good day! Today our plant in the spotlight is: Roselle, also known as Jamaican sorrel or hibiscus.
The Latin name of this plant is Hibiscus sabdariffa.
Roselle is a type of hibiscus, but not all hibiscus plants are roselle. This plant is in the malvaceae family, which also includes cotton and okra. Roselle is often used in teas and has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and antibacterial properties which make it a useful plant to use during cold and flu season. The part of this plant used as medicine is the calyx base of the flower. When the calyces are slightly open and the seeds within them are mature, that's when you know it's time to harvest. The calyces are the red part of the flower that envelops the seed. To make tea from roselle, you'll need to separate the calyces from the seed pods first. Or just buy some dried roselle to save a whole lot of time! Unless you're growing this plant on your own and are up for the challenge.
It has a wide range of culinary uses, and often people will use roselle to make tea or jams and jellies. It's also known to help with urinary tract infections, pain management, digestion, and liver health. If you're specifically looking for a health-packed tea, roselle is it!
Have a magical day,
Jenny
PLANT INGESTION WARNING!
As with all herbs and plants you plan to ingest, never ingest them before doing your own research and/or talking with your doctor - it’s possible that medications you take or health conditions you have could have a negative effect if paired with roselle. Better safe than sorry!
Photo credit goes to Salil Kumar Mukherjee