I may be biased by I think the #1 hibiscus for Southeast Texas is Roselle.
Now, I am no hibiscus oficialito, but I do love the plant not only for its medical properties but for its beauty.
My youngest daughter is named after the Rose of Sharon which she thinks is pretty cool.
Texas has the Scarlett Mallow or Texas star as a native hibiscus, it is quite lovely; and while I encourage planting natives, I do want to tell you about Roselle.
Roselle goes by a couple of different names so you might find it called red sorrel, Jamaican sorrel, and Florida cranberry.
- It’s SUPER EASY to start from seed and germinates quickly (I was surprised how easy it was and how well the seeds germinated from those I collected).
- It’s a tropical plant so it can take the heat and sun, which is a plus here for southeast Texas (if you live in zones lower than 7 and you’re reading this-GREAT, BTW!-you will need to keep this plant in a pot and bring it in during colder months).
- Choose a well-drained, sunny spot where this plant can reach its full potential of 7-10 feet tall. Because of this, it might need to be supported.
- The flowers start in the fall when the day light starts to get shorter.
- Within 7-10 days after the flower blooms and withers, a calyces is produced. Inside of this is the seed pod.
The calyces are used to make jellies, juice, tea, and pies. 
One of the most popular uses, especially in Jamaica, is as a seasonal drink, “Rosa de Jamaica” at Christmas time in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. In Mexico and in Mexican restaurants in the United States, the beverage is known simply as “Jamaica”.
- The blooms, leaves, and pods of Roselle are also edible.
- The leaves can be used in salads, cooked greens, tea, and jams.
- Because Roselle belongs to the Mallow family, both the leaves and calyces contain natural pectin.
There are many documents health benefits of hibiscus in general, as for Roselle, they include hormonal balance, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, digestive aid, cold management, blood pressure management, and more.
The easiest way to consume Roselle is with a tea
Roselle Tea
- 12-18 fresh hibiscus calyxes, washed, seed pod removed
- 1/3 cup organic raw cane sugar (optional) or local, raw honey
- 1 gallon water
- Sprigs of fresh mint to garnish
- Rinse fresh hibiscus calyxes under cold running water, slice off the bottom tip, remove the seed pod, discard the tips and seed pods. Another option is to break them off by hand.
- Place sauce pot with water and hibiscus calyxes onto burner set at high, bring to a boil then remove from heat.
- If adding sugar, stir it in to dissolve. The taste can be tart, so add more honey or sugar as desired.
- Steep for 30 minutes.
- Pour through a strainer into a pitcher.
- Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
For a traditional Jamaican Sorrel, try spicing the roselle tea with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves, and serving with orange slices. For the traditional holiday punch version, add rum and/or sparkling wine.
So, do I have any Roselle available?
You betcha! You can pick them up at the Bridge City Farmer’s Market or text me at 409-749-0184 and you can pick one up directly from the farm.