herb
Hibiscus
Hibiscus sabdariffa
common names
Sorrel, Jamaican Sorrel, Red Sorrel, Guinea Sorrel, Roselle, flor de Jamaica (Mexico), Karkadé (Egypt), Bissap (West Africa)
flavor profile
Hibiscus flowers taste a bit like cranberry with a slight lemon-like undertone. Varieties that produce red flowers yield brilliant color to beverages and foods.
uses
Hibiscus is popular alone or in combination with other herbs and flowers as tea.
The blossoms are also used in baking breads, scones and cakes.
Hibiscus flowers are cooked in custards and flan, or stewed with fruit and sugar to produce syrup.
parts used
The fresh or dried flowers, cut and powdered.
culinary companions
Hibiscus flowers go especially well with champagne-based punch, wines (especially reds), cherries, strawberries, oranges, lime, lemon, chocolate,
vanilla, and lemon balm.
storage tips
Store in a cabinet, cupboard or other cool, dark place, ideally in a sealed glass jar.
habitat/range
Indigenous to Niger, now naturalized in tropical climates and cultivated in Europe.
a bit of botany
Hibiscus is a member of the mallow family, which consists of more than 200 annual and perennial species characterized by large, colorful flowers. Although it is commonly called sorrel, H. sabdariffa should not be confused with another plant of the same name, or Rumex acetosa.
history and folklore
Hibiscus is a popular ornamental plant grown for its showy blooms. The flowers, referred to as the roselle, are edible. Throughout the Caribbean and particularly in Jamaica, hibiscus is combined with rum, spices and other botanicals and served as a traditional drink at Christmas. Hibiscus tea is enjoyed all over the globe and the flowers are eaten as food. In Mexico, for instance, the flowers are candied. Tahitian women often sport a hibiscus flower tucked behind the ear to indicate eligibility for marriage. In Polynesia, the fibrous bark of the plant is used to manufacture grass skirts, while the flower is considered sacred in India and used as a Hindu offering to Lord Ganesha. Hibiscus is used in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for inflammatory skin conditions and dry cough.
chemical composition
Fruit acids (tartaric acid, malic acid), anthocyans, flavonoids, and various mucilages. The acids give hibiscus a tart taste, while anthocyans are responsible for the range of red shades of tea made from the flowers. Roselle seed oil is high in gamma tocopherol (a form of vitamin E), saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids such as palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids. The seeds and flowers contain significant amounts of protein.
side effects
Because of the potential effect on blood pressure, seek the advice of a physician before consuming hibiscus tea if you have a history of hypertension or if you take pharmaceutical medications to control blood pressure.
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.