In my journey with The Master Gardener program, I learned many things that helped me develop my skills at gardening. I found some shortcuts, some new techniques and some new crops that have become game changers. One such plant I stumbled across was the Red Roselle Hibiscus. Red Roselle can be easily harvested, and seeds can be easily plucked out and saved for the following year. They can be grown in whatever space one may have available such as a field, a flowerbed, or a corner in the back yard with a five-gallon bucket.
This all sounded too good to be true when I first heard the demonstration and tasted the tea I now know was one of my all-time favorite teas referred to as Red Zinger. A new friend in our group gave me a palm full of these tiny seeds and from that more than I could manage grew beautifully on the edge of my raised garden beds.
These spindly branches hold leaves that are rough and range in color from green to reddish. The plant stems also take on a reddish tint. The flowers have that distinct hibiscus structure, with a pronounced stamen and large petals that seem to be of one formation.
Each bloom lasts for about a day and closes quickly. But I learned that the blooming of these pretty flowers was not where the harvest and joy was produced. Unlike my Zinnia's that just keep giving with bloom after bloom to be plucked and arranged in the house, these flowers come and go leaving the real work to begin.
At the base of the flower, a pronounced calyx supports a large plump seed pod. The calyx is a vibrant red color and is used for hibiscus tea. After cutting these red parts of the plant once the flower has fallen, they can be put in a dehydrator for several hours or placed out in the sun if we have several days of dry weather like we have been having for the sunshine to do all the work. These can then be stored to boil for hot or cold tea that is packed with vitamins and nutrients.
The stems can also be easily propagated by cutting them below a leaf node at the length of about five or six inches. Then, dip the stems in a rooting hormone and place them in fertile growing soil. If you keep the soil moist and the temperature mild the new plant will take root. However, the first freeze will take the plant out and new harvested seeds can be used to begin again unless placed inside or in a greenhouse.
At the base of the calyx is a seed pod beneath each of the once bloomed and dropped flowers. Within each of these pods there are four or five veins full of seeds. They are light in color at first, but if you let the pods completely dry the seeds become dark in color and are ready to be stored for the next warm season.
This has by far become one of the easiest plants I have grown during the warm season. It is a beautiful addition to the garden. It is easy to harvest, and it takes up very little space. The blooms are great pollinators, and the seeds are easily gathered and stored.
Aside from the joy of gardening with this Hibiscus, they provide great gifts to friends who enjoy gardening but may not have a large area to plant. And also, a great gift to share with friends who enjoy a nice fresh cup of hot tea.
