More about Roselle and a Couple of Great Resources

If you want to know more about sustainable gardening and topics such as pest management, cover crops, and soil health, SARE is a great resources, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education which is funded by the USDA to further sustainable agricultural practices and implemented by a number of Universities around the country.  It’s southern arm SSARE, operates out of the University of Georgia and provides information and funding to further sustainable agricultural practices In our region.  We have found their information to be extremely helpful in developing the gardening practices we follow today. 

Another newly discovered and comprehensive source of information on growing edibles in Florida is Growables.org--Grow Florida Edibles.  This site, started six years ago by two Master Gardeners from Sarasota County, covers vegetables, fruit trees, and "other edibles," including Roselle.   In fact, we discovered this site when permission was requested to include some of the information on Roselle we have developed.  Links to our blog post on removing the seed capsules and to an article in the Tallahassee Democrat on Roselle and other edible hibiscus are now included in their information on Roselle.  Each entry contains complete information on the plant selected including propagation, cultivation, selection, and harvest for every imaginable edible which can be grown in Florida.  Links to UF publications and other resources relating to the selected plant are also included. 

To add to our growing collection of Roselle information and lore, click on the links below for recipes from our Roselle Queen, Peggy McDonald for Roselle drinks including Hibiscus Tea, and Roselle Jam.  Also included is a link to a previous post with a recipe for Roselle preserved in syrup which is great over ice cream or in the bottom of a glass of wine or champagne, and a recipe for Roselle sauce similar to cranberry sauce from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.  We've used this sauce as a topping for cheesecake with great success. 

From three Roselle plants started from seed she saved, Peggy has harvested over 30 pounds of calyxes already this season and there are at least that many left to develop and harvest.  She is busy making jam as are several other VegHeadz gardeners.  Peggy's jam will be available for tasting on Sunday, October 13, 2019, at the VegHeadz garden during the 2019 Sustainable Tallahassee Farm Tours.  The garden at 615 Paul Russell Road, Tallahassee, will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. 

Roselle Drinks

Roselle Jam

Roselle Sauce

Roselle Preserved in Syrup