We’ve been growing edible hibiscus for years now, and honestly, it’s one of the easiest plants we’ve ever had. You might know it as Rosella, Jamaican Sorrel, or Florida Cranberry, but its scientific name is Hibiscus sabdariffa. The best part? You can eat the flowers, fruit, and leaves—every bit of it!
In cooler places, you can grow edible hibiscus as an annual, but in tropical or subtropical spots, it’ll come back year after year. Want to learn how to grow and use the flowers, leaves, calyxes, and even the branches? There are tons of ways to cook with it or use it as medicine.
This plant loves tropical and subtropical climates since it’s a short-day grower. But don’t worry—if you’re somewhere colder, you can still grow it as an annual. Curious about how day length affects plants and why some prefer shorter days? Check out the Understanding Your Climate short course for more on that.
Are all hibiscus edible?
With hundreds of hibiscus varieties (and more popping up all the time), it’s tough to say if every one is edible. But some have been used for food and medicine for ages—Hibiscus sabdariffa being the most popular. You’ll also hear it called Jamaican sorrel, Florida cranberry, or Roselle.
Another edible favorite is Cranberry Hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella), and Chinese Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
If you’re growing hibiscus to eat or use medicinally, double-check the variety. Make sure it’s not just edible but also safe—some might have side effects or interactions. Not sure what you’ve got? Take it (or some good photos) to your County Extension Office for help.
Growing hibiscus is pretty similar across varieties, but how you use them isn’t. Fun fact: Hibiscus sabdariffa is related to okra, and their flowers look almost identical. After the flower drops, it leaves behind a pod (just like okra), but this one’s called a calyx—the part most people use.
Growing Edible Hibiscus
You can start hibiscus from seed. I bought mine online at first, then a local friend gave me some from her plants. Now I save seeds from my own—so it’s a one-time buy!
The seeds are pretty tough, so I scarify them for better germination. Just rub them on fine sandpaper, then soak overnight before planting.
Start them in pots, then move them to the garden when they’re 4-5 inches tall and frost is gone. Keep the area weed-free (heavy mulch helps). These bushes can get big—6-7 feet tall and 3 feet wide—so give them space. Plant a bunch, and they’d make a gorgeous hedge!
Harvesting and Preserving Hibiscus
Each bush gives 1-2 pounds of calyxes, depending on your growing season. You’ll need about 10-12 pounds of fresh calyxes to make 1 pound dried—so plant 6-8 bushes if you want a pound of dried hibiscus.
Pests? Barely any. I usually don’t see any all summer, though sometimes caterpillars or stink bugs show up in fall. But they rarely do damage—just hang out.
Here’s the key: Hibiscus needs shorter days to flower. I didn’t realize this at first—we got a couple blooms, then nothing all summer. But come fall, when days got shorter? Boom—explosion of flowers! I thought it needed cooler weather, but nope—just shorter days. So plan for a fall or early winter harvest.
Harvesting Hibiscus
The Hibiscus sabdariffa blooms are simple and pretty—light pink, like okra flowers. They only last a day or so.
Once they fall off, the calyx is ready. I don’t harvest daily, so some of ours are big, some small. If you leave them, they’ll dry out and get woody—perfect for saving seeds.
When ready, the calyx should snap off easily (though scissors help sometimes). Inside is a seed pod you’ll usually remove. I slit the calyx with a paring knife to pop it out.
But that seed pod has mucilage (like okra, but less), which soothes sore throats. So I dehydrate some calyxes with the pod still in—great for extra-soothing winter tea.
Using Hibiscus
Medicinally, hibiscus can help with high blood pressure, stomach issues, appetite loss, and more. If you’re curious, talk to an herbalist or natural health pro.
Heads up: Some studies suggest too much hibiscus might worsen kidney stones in people prone to them. (More in this American Botanical Council article.)
We love hibiscus in tea—it’s tart, like cranberries. I just toss some into mint or nettle tea. Want a vitamin C boost? Try this rose hip and hibiscus tea. Or this super fruit tea for a year-round sip.
Kids (or adults!) will love it as a Kool-Aid alternative. For warm days, try this hibiscus clove cooler.
My son makes kombucha—I’m nudging him to try hibiscus kombucha next.
And this chocolate cake with hibiscus curd? Fancy and delicious—we’re making it before harvest ends.
A friend tipped me off to this pomegranate hibiscus fire cider—the only recipe I’ve seen that uses the whole calyx (seed pod included) in tea. Trying that next!
Hibiscus isn’t just for eating, though. Use it in a hair rinse, or like my friend who’s dyeing wool yarn with it—so cool!
Leaves and flowers are edible too. Some cultures cook the leaves like spinach (they’re tangy!), and some teas use flowers, leaves, and calyxes. Certain varieties even have fiber-rich wood, like jute.
