Roselle (hibiscus tea)

Hibiscus sabdariffa

Fleshy red calyces brewed into bissap, karkadé, sorrel and agua de jamaica; a late-season crop for long, hot summers.

Type: herb or perennial · annual vegetables, herbs and grains
Hardiness: zones 8 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 6 ft tall, 4 ft wide
Harvest: October to November
From: West Africa
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, pollinators, traditional use.

Native to: African savannas & tropics. Hardy in zones 8 to 12.

The story

Roselle was first grown in West Africa and travelled with people across the Atlantic and to Asia. Its red calyces are bissap in Senegal, karkadé in Egypt and Sudan, sorrel at a Caribbean Christmas and agua de jamaica in Mexico.

Planting

Full sun and warm soil. Start seed indoors where summers are short.

Growing

It grows into a tall bush and flowers as days shorten in autumn. Water in dry spells.

Harvest and use

Pick the fleshy red calyces about ten days after the flowers fade. Pull out the seed pod and use them fresh or dried for tea, syrup and jam.

What to watch for

An early frost can beat the harvest. Root-knot nematodes in the south.

Safety

Medicinal uses here are shared as history, not advice. Kitchen amounts are fine for most people, but teas, tinctures and supplements can interact with medicines and aren't safe for everyone, especially in pregnancy, while breastfeeding, for children, or with liver or kidney problems. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking any plant as medicine.

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More annual vegetables, herbs and grains

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home