Hibiscus (roselle)
Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (syn. Sabdariffa gossypiifolia)
Botanical family: Malvaceae
A tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa, 'roselle') whose fleshy bright-red calyces give a tart infusion, karkadé (or bissap), rich in antioxidants and vitamin C.
Full sun
Rich, drained, cool
Regular
Frost-tender (annual in our climates, or in a pot)
Frost-tender in your zone
Role in permaculture
A harvest annual for a warm corner: in our climates it is grown under cover or in a large pot in the sun, as it cannot stand frost.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Seasons & availability
Calyces gathered in autumn; grown as an annual in our climates.
Available: September, October.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Hibiscus sabdariffa » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Hibiscus+sabdariffa)
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, « Sabdariffa gossypiifolia » (plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sabdariffa-gossypiifolia)
- Promesse de fleurs, « Graines d'Oseille de Guinée - Hibiscus sabdariffa » (promessedefleurs.com/potager/graines-potageres/graines-aromatiques/graines-de-hibiscus-sabdariffa-oseille-de-guinee.html)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
The infusion can lower blood pressure: caution in case of low blood pressure or antihypertensive treatment; not advised at a high dose during pregnancy.
In the kitchen & the apothecary
Where to find hibiscus (roselle) in preparations: recipes and traditional herbal teas.
Infusions & herbal teas
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Shakta cult of the goddess Kali (Bengal and Assam) · Bengal and Assam, eastern India; a still-living cult.
In eastern India, the red hibiscus, japa in Sanskrit, is the flower offered during the pujas to the goddess Kali, whose scarlet colour it shares. This ritual use is attested and still living, particularly in the Bengali Shakta cult. The association is, however, in no way exclusive: the same red flower is also offered to Durga and Ganesha; it's in Bengal and Assam that it is more specially tied to Kali. The flower of the cult is the ornamental hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), to be distinguished from the roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) from which the drink is made.
Article encyclopédique Wikipedia, « Hibiscus rosa-sinensis » (consulté en 2026) : usage documenté au Bengale pour honorer Kali ; nom sanskrit Japa (japapushpam).
An attested fact: the ritual offering of the red hibiscus, documented and living. A botanical trap: Kali's hibiscus is Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, the ornamental species, and not the roselle (H. sabdariffa) of this sheet: two species not to be confused. It's a precise regional cult, not undifferentiated 'Hinduism'. No medicinal use is asserted here.
Keep in mind
To be distinguished from the ornamental hibiscus (rose of China) and from marshmallow.
A note on rigour: many companion pairings are gardening folklore; this note sums up what the sources say, where there are any.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: rich, drained, cool.