Production of Roselle. Page: 2
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PRODUCTION OF ROSELLE
By J. H. BEATTIE, senior horticulturist, Division of Fruit and Vegetable Crops and
Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry
Economic Importance
Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), sometimes called "Jamaica sorrel",
is a plant the enlarged calyces or flower bases and swollen bracts of
which possess excellent qualities for the making of jellies and similar
products. The jelly made from the fruit of this plant is acid, of a
transparent nature, and possesses a bright-red color. The fruit is
also used for making an acid drink and as a substitute for cranberries
and currants in regions where these fruits do not grow. The variety
usually grown is of a rich red color; the yellow forms do not appear to
be adapted, by reason of color, to the making of preserved foods. The
plant also yields a fiber called "roselle hemp."
Climatic Limitations
This plant is quite sensitive to frost and is usually found in subtropical
gardens. For this reason there is doubt as to its fruit-producing
qualities north of Florida, unless the so-called "early" strains prove
satisfactory. However, evidence has been produced which leads to
the belief that, although the floral portions may not develop in the
northern latitudes, the leaves and terminal shoots possess some merit
as a jelly-making product. Every effort should be made to secure
seed from plants that give evidence of ability to fruit in latitudes north
of Florida, in order that strains may be secured for cultivation throughout
a larger productive region.
Description
Roselle is an annual of tropical origin related to okra, cotton,
and ornamental hibiscus. In habit it resembles cotton, and in
Florida it reaches a height of from 5 to 7 feet. The stems are reddish
and branch profusely. The leaves are entire in the young plant,
becoming palmately five-parted on the upper growths. The large,
almost sessile flowers are usually borne singly in the axils of the leaves.
The fragile, yellow corollas, much like miniature hollyhocks, last only
a day. Subsequently the red calyces and bracts enlarge. The fruit,
developing in from 3 to 4 weeks, is tart, resembling the cranberry.
Latent flower buds may develop after the first picking.
Propagation
The plants may be grown from seed or cuttings. Experiments in
Florida and Hawaii with standard strains lead to the conclusion that
October is the normal flowering period and that best results will be2
Issued December 1937
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Beattie, James H. (James Herbert), b. 1882. Production of Roselle., book, December 1937; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc9193/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.