Roselle plant

How to grow Roselle plant growing and care:

Humid, moist soil, well drain soil

Humid, moist soil, well-drained soil, rich soil, organic material, mulch to keep the moist

How to care:
Add fertilize at least once, put mulch to keep the soil moist, organic matter and humus, prune once a year

What is the best way to start growing?
Plant / Seed / Vegetative Reproduction – cutting

How to propagate by cutting:
Propagating by cutting better to start in the early spring or with temperature of 20-26C (68-79F)and better before the plant start to grow after the dormant, better to choose stems that not going to bloom, requirements: moist soil, high humidity, peat soil, hormone for root growth, highly recommend to use green house (or small plastic box with holes) it will take few weeks.

Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction?
No, but with cutting ensure the color of the flower and the size of the plants, not hard to start by seeds

Difficulties or problems when growing:
Might be invasive in the tropical

Recommended planting season?
Spring as annual plant or as perennial in hardiness zone 10a, spring to summer in hardiness zone 10b, spring to autumn in hardiness zone 11, all year in hardiness zone 12+

How to plant:
Dig hole bigger 50% more than the roots ball, add to the hole, organic matter, dead leaves and hummus put back some soil and mix it, after this put the cover lightly but strong enough that won’t fall put support for the plant if needed, if the plant is not stable consider to prune, water it twice in the first day and every day for two weeks put water more than the regular, better to add the fertilizer after the plant establish.

Pests and diseases:
Aphids, mealy bugs, mites

Pruning season:
Autumn / Winter

How to prune:
Weak branches, dead flower and leaves

Size of the plant:
1-2 m, 3-6 feet

Growth speed in optimal condition:
Fast growing / Medium growing

Water requirement:
Average amount of water

Light conditions in optimal condition for growing:
Full Sun / Half Shade / Full Shade (but need a lot of light and might not bloom)

Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant?
Yes, but might won’t bloom indoor and need to expose it to sun before blooming season

Growing is also possible in pots, planter, flowerpot or containers:
Yes, when growing in pot need 50% bigger than the roots ball, every time that switch the container to bigger switch some of the soil to new soil until arrive to the desirable container size, after that every few years better to switch part of the soil and cut some roots, no need to take the plant out just from the side of the container, can grow in container of 10-20L (2-4 gallons) and can grow in bigger, soil can be potting soil, mixture of peat soil and perlite or other light mixed soil, water it regularly and care when put bottom for the pot be aware not to let the water stay there too many days, need to add humus, organic matter, fertilizer and mulch to cover the soil to keep it moist.

Blooming information and also buds

Buds and Bloom season:
Summer / Autumn

General information about the flower:
Pink-purple flower with 5 petals

Thinning the bloom:
Possible to thinning better for the leaves, but after the buds ready to use

Pollination is done by:
Bees

Uses of Roselle buds:
Beverage

Edible leaves

Leaves harvesting season:
Spring / Summer / Autumn (as perennial evergreen all year)

How to harvest the leaves?
Next to the stems or all the stems, not in area next to the buds

Information about leaves:
leaves are arranged in lobes 3-5

Uses of Roselle plant leaves:
Cooked, stir fry

How to grow Roselle plant from seeds

Sowing requirement:
Moist soil, 20-26C (68-82F), humidity, full sun and possible in half sun and need high humidity

Saving seeds and care until sowing:
Dry and dark location and keep the seeds in the refrigerators

Sowing season:
Spring / Summer / Autumn (more important the temperature) and in location with cold winter better not in the autumn

How to plant:
Plant in soil that stay moist and don’t let the soil dry

Planting spacing:
3*5cm to transplant and better not to transplant it before 5 leaves, direct it’s depend 1*1m (40*40)

Depth of Sowing:
0.5-1cm (0.25-0.5 inch) but cover lightly and don’t push

Conditions for seeds germinate:
Full sun, moist soil

Watering requires for Seeds:
Average amount of water / Big amount of water

Germination time:
14-25 days

Condition of seedling:
After five leaves possible to add fertilizer and to put mulch

Scientific name:

Hibiscus sabdariffa