Early Roselle – Hibiscus sabdariffa

This roselle is special in that it produces much earlier than the other varieties we have grown.  In 2022 we observed blooms arriving at the end of August and good harvestable production by late September.  Our other roselle does not begin to produce until November.  This is valuable because it can give a spread out roselle harvest but also could allow production further North where frosts would cut the growing season short before production begins.  It is more determinate in habit, producing a big crop and then crashing and being mostly dead by mid-November.  The blooming time did not overlap with the bloom of our later variety, meaning both varieties can be maintained without them crossing.  This variety has a slightly different habit, being much more lateral and likely to lay sideways.  Our family member who is a tea connoisseur insists the fresh calyxes of this type are slightly sweeter than others.

Roselle is primarily grown for the edible calyxes which are used to make teas, jams and all other sorts of products.  In some Asian and African cuisine the cooked greens are an important food item.  This plant is appreciated in a wide diversity of tropical cultures for it’s diverse uses.  It is an extremely easy to grow crop in Florida, tolerating poor soils and drought.

40 seeds