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[email protected] CEWHendry I discovered this hibiscus two blocks from my home more than two years ago. CEWHendry I recognized the bloom, but it was different from any other hibiscus I’d ever encountered. I took photos and brought home a cutting to photograph closer. mine Sept 2009 Original plant found at . . . CEW Hendry On this corner . . . CEWHendry . . . in Palm Beach County, Florida. A few months later, I planted them. Th CEWHendry CEWHendry These tiny, brown seeds produced sprouts with red, yellow, orange, green and olive-green leaves. CEWHendry CEWHendry While the seedlings were growing on my porch, I found that the original plant had managed to produce a second crop. CEWHendry CEWHendry Soon after, I saw the plant again . . . finally dead. CEWHendry eac CEWHendry CEWHendry Palm Beach County, FL 12/2011 CEWHendry CEWHendry CEWHendry CEWHendry Despite its bright colour, the plant is hard to see from the road unless you are looking for it. CEWHendry Tim CEWHendry CEWHendry Hibiscus acetosella is also called: **Hibiscus eetveldianus *African Mallow (also African Rosemallow) *False Roselle *Maroon Mallow *Red-Shield Hibiscus *Cranberry Hibiscus Hibiscus acetosella is often confused with H. sabdariffa (which has superior medicinal and nutritional properties.) H. acetosella is a hybrid of | | H. acetosella H. asper H. surrattensis CEWHendry | | H. acetosella H. asper Michele Greve H. surattensis H. surattensis Michele Greve lalithamba's photostream CEWHendry It has inherited characteristics from both parents. qs H. acetosella CEWHendry illustration: http://database.prota.org/search.htm&TN=P ROTAB~1&QB0=AND&QF0=Species+Code &QI0=Hibiscus+acetosella&RF=Webdisplay qs H. surattensis H. asper Both illustrations: Prelude Medicinal Plantshttp://www.meta fro.be/prelude/view_pl ant?pi=06790 Michele Greve PHOTOS: http://fleurs.cirad.fr/var/fleurs/storage/images/fleurs_d_afrique_tropicale/h/hibiscus_asper/48843-fre-FR/hibiscus_asper_reference.jpg qs H. acetosella CEWHendry CEWHendry CEWHendry qs H. H. a s p e r Michele Greve http://www.westafricanplants.senckenberg.de/ima ges/pictures/hibiscus_asper_mg_dscf4074_1929 _b10595. Flower bud; Simpang Empat, West Sumatra, Indonesia; 1/1999 © Jörn Germer s u r r a t t e n s i s qs H. acetosella CEWHendry H. asper five petals trumpet shaped deep red center Michele Greve Michele Greve Michele Greve petals become flaccid and then shrivel after blooming short pistil surrounded by clusters of stamen to enable self-pollinisation H. CEWHendry H. acetosella CEWHendry CEWHendry *image: Protabase Record display, www.prota.org *University of Florida, IFAS Extension. June 23, 2005 The USDA NaturalIn Florida, Resources Conservation Services issues an annual report on counties where populations of Hibiscus acetosella grow wild—as opposed to planned cultivation. Time Generated: 12/26/2011 12:39 PM CST The USDA’s NRCS indicates that H. acetosella is found only in Florida. In Florida, As I searched the internet, however, I found blogs and plant forums filled with references and photographs about its spectacular foliage and value as a dietary staple. CEWHendry CEWHendry CEWHendry Photo by Norman Winter/Mississippi State University horticulturist ©All rights reserved by pawightm ©All rights reserved by pawightm. ©All rights reserved by pawightm. “Maple Sugar” leaves have purple tops and green bottoms. The leaves have three lobes with saw-tooth edges. ©All rights reserved by pawightm. “Haight Ashbury” “Red Shield” “Maple Sugar” The variety of H. acetosella that I found growing wild near my home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, does not appear to belong to any of the most common H. acetosella cultivars— indicated by the difference in leaf shape, colour, and texture. CEWHendry Even though H. acetosella is easily maintained and offers bright foliage colour, it usually lacks huge, showy flowers. H. acetosella is a hardier plant than most varieties of hibiscus available to the amateur gardener. As far north as Minnesota, plant bloggers publish glowing praise and post beautiful photographs of the “Haight Ashbury,” “Sugar Maple,” and “Red Shield” varieties they have planted in their yards. For them, H. acetosella’s durability more than makes up for the inconsequential blooms—or the complete lack of blooms—on these plants. Avid gardeners trade cuttings or purchase them in the spring to transfer directly into plant beds. I could not find seeds for sale on line. CEWHendry “Leaves [are] . . . [a]dded to salads or used in soups, stews etc[183]. They can be cooked with other foods to give them an acid sorrel-like flavour[183].”2 2Plants For a Future http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Hibiscus+a cetosella Hibiscus Leaf and Pomegranate Mixed Greens Salad WanderingChopsticks.blogspot.com On the Waundering Chopsticks blog, I found recipes listed for such incredible foods as: BARRACUDA STUFFED WITH HIBISCUS LEAVES if you cannot get fresh barracuda, you can substitute pike CHILLED HIBISCUS SOUP WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM this received a 4 out of 5 stars Rick Forestall Faded, dried flowers . . . Wilson Wong, “Getting to know the beautiful Hibiscus acetosella”, Green Culture Singapore, Nov 2008, publish date 25 December 2008. Internet. “. . . of H. acetosella are picked and infused in hot water to make a tea. The infusion is then allowed to cool and sugar is then added to taste, together with some freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice. The drink is best served chilled. Faded flowers can be dried for longterm storage in a cool and dry place before use.” Wilson Wong, “Getting to know the beautiful Hibiscus acetosella”, Green Culture Singapore, Nov 2008, publish date 25 December 2008. On-line. 1Wilson Wong, “Green Culture Singapore, Nov 2008, publish date 25 December 2008. On-line. . “Leaves [are] . . . [a]dded to salads or used in soups, stews . . . They can be cooked with other foods to give them an acid sorrel-like flavour.”2 2Plants For a Future Wandering Chopsticks http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx ?LatinName=Hibiscus+acetosella CEWHendry H. acetosella quarter immature seed CEWHendry half CEWHendry whole CEWHendry original plant H. acetosella original seed CEWHendry CEWHendry First seeds of this season. CEWHendry CEWHendry qs H. acetosella CEWHendry CEWHendry H. acetosella fruit is attached qs directly to the main branch. H. acetosella is known as False Roselle. H. sapdariffa (the true Roselle below) has fruit that is more tender and used to prepare a hot tea. H. acetosella Photo: Horizon Herbs http://www.horizonherbs.com/group.a sp?grp=45&pgNUM=5 CEWHendry Leaves and flowers are attached directly to the stem in clumps—with the the bare stem visible for several inches between them. CEWHendry “Young leaves . . . are burgundy and get darker and turn grayish as they become older”* on some species. On others they fade to a golden orange. CEWHendry *University of Florida, IFAS Extension. June 23, 2005 Feature Article - for release the week of June 26, 2005Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent Red leafed hibiscus for easy color qs H. acetosella has extrafloral nectaries that are easy to see. H. acetosella CEWHendry On the more common hibiscus species in my yard, they are not as pronounced. CEWHendry “In H. acetosella, they occur on the rachis near the attachment of the leaf blade.”* CEWHendry CEWHendry *http://www.botgard.ucla. edu/html/botanytextbooks/lifeforms/antplants/extrafloralnectaries. Each stem of the H. acetosella grows straight up from the ground. CEWHendry CEWHendry Unlike my other species of hibiscus bushes and trees, the plant “suckers” and one original stem becomes a dense group of stalks. CEWHendry CEWHendry The group of H.acetosella that I planted in direct sunlight did “reach a height of 10 feet.” When left to their own, the tops of the tallest stalks were broken off by the wind in a summer storm. University of Florida, IFAS Extension. June 23, 2005 Feature Article - for release the week of June 26, 2005Dan Culbert Extension Horticulture Agent Red leafed hibiscus for easy color I pruned them down to five foot and they thickened and began to bloom. They are currently topped off at about six foot. CEWHendry CEWHendry The blossoms only last for a single morning. CEWHendry Spent flowers stay attached to the stem. CEWHendry CEWHendry The petals finally dry into paper-thin bits that fall together from the fruit before it begins to dry. CEWHendry A dry husk full of seeds is attached at the stem, next to a fruit preparing to shed its dried petal remains. The husks remain firmly attached to the stem— when I harvest for seeds, I must carefully cut CEWHendry them off. Their tall “crowns” have sharp ends that sting my fingers like rose thorns if I am not careful. This is the root of a five foot stalk. Its network of root hairs made it difficult to pull from the soil. It was just as challenging to clean it off and get down to the edible heart—the part that is nutritious (though described as slimy and tasteless). CEWHendry CEWHendry CEWHendry Hard to see in this photo, the Leaf-footed Bug (This is the nymph.) is also become a problem for my H. acetosella. It burrows into the fruit and destroys the plant. It is known to primarily infest and kill pomegranate plants. CEWHendry University of Florida, IFAS Extension. An example of root knot nematodes in tomatoes. While the literature that I found described H. acetosella’s immunity from insect damage, my own plants had problems with spider mites and ants. I thought that could have become a problem because they were planted in such close proximity to one another. Texas A&M Mealy bugs on hibiscus leaves. CEWHendry What makes more sense to me is the possibility that my H. acetosella had not exclusively self-fertilized. Pollen from more “domestic” hybrids in the area had introduced susceptibility to more common hibiscus pests. CEWHendry I find myself spraying and fertilizing and picking off spider egg sacs— supplying some of the frequent attention my other hibiscus plants need to in order to thrive. CEWHendry My one consolation is the plants’ incredible profusion of blooms— a rarity among H. acetosella’s known sisters. CEWHendry Another plus: the fruit of the H. acetosella remain bright, fresh and plump for weeks, sometimes months, after the blooms are gone. CEWHendry I love looking for new shoots: the lateral growth that takes its cue from the myriad of Pteridophyta and S. trifasciata laurentii that grow in our yard. CEWHendry Original H. acetosella plant CEWHendry For the most part, I have allowed the plants do what they wanted. I have decided now to cut them back and see if water and routine fertilizing will help them to live through the winter—perhaps blooming sooner and longer next year. CEWHendry I grew my generation of H. acetosella from seeds I collected them from the original wild plant. The seeds germinated within weeks. CEWHendry CEWHendry First seedlings. CEWHendry The seedlings’ size didn’t correlate with the size of the container mine they were planted in. CEWHendry The colours and shapes of the leaves also varied. CEWHendry When the seedlings were about 18 inches tall, I transplanted some to a space underneath a pair of trees where my parsley and cilantro thrive. Wild Florida sunflowers and impatiens also grow well there. The H. acetosella planted in this area got plenty of water, light fertilizer every month and bright, indirect afternoon sunlight. These plants didn’t die, but stayed small. CEWHendry CEWHendry CEWHendry Planting place for first seedlings along east side of house. PLANTING AREAS West side of house: chain link fence Full afternoon sun, water and light fertilizer East side of house: herb bed Late afternoon light, water and light fertilizer Google Earth The same stand East side of house—one month later. CEWHendry CEWHendry Final photos of East side plants. CEWHendry CEWHendry Another group was planted by a chain-link fence where they received bright sunlight during the middle of the day, plentiful water, and light fertilizer once a month. CEWHendry These plants grew to almost ten feet in height. Their largest leaves grew to twice the size of the first group’s largest leaves. CEWHendry H. acetosella planted along fence on the West side of the house CEWHendry CEWHendry CEWHendry Late afternoon view of full-sun plants. Oct 2011 www.westafricanplants.senckenberg.d e/rootindex.phppage_id=14&id=1929 photo of H. asper in Africa Michele Greve, 2008 http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?L atinName=Hibiscus+acetosella Both illustrations: Prelude Medicinal Plants http://www.metafro.be/prelude/view_plan t?pi=06790 PHOTOS: http://fleurs.cirad.fr/var/fleurs/storage/ima ges/fleurs_d_afrique_tropicale/h/hibiscus _asper/4884-3-freFR/hibiscus_asper_reference.jpg http://database.prota.org/search.htm&TN=PROTAB~ 1&QB0=AND&QF0=Species+Code&QI0=Hibiscus+acetosella&RF=Webdisplay Fruit, Bud, Done flower. F Final flower of the day. Along the chain link fence. Palm sized leaves. Spent bloom. PHOTO MOMENT I love the sharp contrast between the pink and red flower colours with the matte texture of the leave-against the vibrant dark green background.