Krachiap | กระเจี๊ยบ | Hibiscus sabdariffa
Family: Malvaceae - Genus: Hibiscus
There are quite a lot of Roselle plants on the premises of TCDF and Eco-Logic Thailand, behind the Social impact Café and alongside the road up towards the Food Forest Kitchen Restaurant.
Roselle is a tall, tropical, red and green shrub, an annual or perennial herb, growing to 2–2.5 meter tall. The trunk and branches are colored magenta. The leaves are deeply three- to five-lobed, 8–15centimeter long, arranged alternately on the stems.
The flowers are 8–10 centimeter in diameter, white to pale yellow with a dark red spot at the base of each petal, and have a stout fleshy calyx at the base, 1–2 centimeter wide, enlarging to 3–3.5 centimeter, fleshy and bright red as the fruit matures. They take about six months to mature.
Roselle can be harvested the whole year through, but less in the rainy season.
THE PLANT
Roselle is an annual or perennial herb or woody-based shrub, growing to 2–2.5 meter tall.
THE LEAVES
The leaves are deeply three- to five-lobed, 8–15centimeter long, arranged alternately on the stems.
The leaves are edible.
THE FLOWERS
The flowers are 8–10 centimeter in diameter, white to pale yellow with a dark red spot at the base of each petal, and have a stout fleshy calyx at the base, 1–2 centimeter wide, enlarging to 3–3.5 centimeter, fleshy and bright red as the fruit matures. They take about six months to mature.
THE FRUIT
Fruit of Roselle is 5-valved, non-fleshy, bright red ovoid capsule, 18–20 mm long by 15–18 mm wide.
Fruit is green when young and turns into bright red as they mature and consists of 5 valves with each valve containing 3-4 seeds.
Later capsule turns brown and split open when completely mature and dry. Seeds are normally kidney shaped, light brown, 3-5 mm long and covered with minute stout and stellate hairs.
Fruit has tart fruity flavor similar to cranberry, rhubarb and red currant.
CULINARY USES
Roselle is popular for its edible leaves and fleshy red fruit calyces that are used for making fresh salads, tea, juices, jellies, jams, ice cream, and spices for cooking.
The green leaves are used like a spicy version of spinach.
In Thailand, roselle is generally drunk as a cool drink.
Dried flowers are used as herbal tea, and they give a bright red coloring to the drink.
Roselle is popular for its edible leaves and fleshy red fruit calyces that are used for making fresh salads, tea, juices, jellies, jams, ice cream, and spices for cooking. Roselle is also famous for its high nutritional and medicinal values. It is a wonderful source of antioxidants.The Rosselle seeds or calyx are oval with pointed ends . The length is about 2.5 centieter and pale green. Result is a dry five -pointed fruit with brown seeds .
NUTRITION
Roselle is also famous for its high nutritional and medicinal values. It is a wonderful source of antioxidants.
Roselle is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Consuming 57 gram of roselle offers 123 mg of Calcium, 0.84 mg of Iron, 6.8 mg of Vitamin C, 29 mg of Magnesium, 6.45 g of Carbohydrate, 21 mg of Phosphorus, 119 mg of Potassium, 0.016 mg of Vitamin B2 and 8 µg of Vitamin A.
TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL USE
NOTE: please take advice from a doctor if you are planning to use herbal medicine.
Roselle has been used as a therapeutic plant for centuries. Traditionally, extracts treat toothaches, urinary tract infections, colds, and even hangovers.
In Senegal, the juice of leaves treat conjunctivitis and, when pulverized, soothes sores and ulcers.
Root concoctions act as a potent laxative.
Natives of various countries drink tea to stabilize blood pressure and lower cholesterol.
INTO THE WILD: a down to earth experience
For guests and visitors to Paksong we organize weekly tours "The Edible Forest" and Foraging weekends: Into the Wild. We work with local guides to take you in the jungle of Paksong. After foraging, we will cook a meal with the ingredients, using bamboo together with you!
Come and join and learn about the abundance of food that nature gives us!
INTO THE WILD!