Roselle: Large Red Pod
(Hibiscus sabdariffa)

Roselle is an annual plant with a tangy-flavored calyx used in drinks, sauces, or eaten fresh. The calyx is the fleshy structure left after the flower has faded. The leaves are edible and eaten raw or cooked. Fresh leaves contain 2-3% protein and traces of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Roselle does not flower until days shorten. It can be grown in temperate regions for leaf production, but most likely will not flower and produce the fleshy calyx before the plant is killed back from low temperatures.

This variety produces larger calyxes than the ‘Thai Red’ variety. The plants can grow to a height of 2 meters or more and will flower later than the 'Thai Red' variety.