Hibiscus Sabdariffa: Therapeutic Benefits and Tips for Making Hibiscus (Roselle) Tea
Growing up, I knew hibiscus as the vibrant, towering ornamental plant that was often tucked into the landscape around neighborhood pools, in sunny front yards, and in the flower beds at local shopping centers. I marveled at the large flowers that seemed to come in a rainbow of colors and loved watching local pollinators flit between blooms.
It was not until I was an adult that I was introduced to Hibiscus sabdariffa – a hibiscus species with small, unassuming flowers and juicy red calyces that look like storebought red licorice candy. There it was – Hibiscus sabdariffa - right at the top of a list of ingredients for a tea blend I had been enjoying. I thought, “Wow, I didn’t know hibiscus was edible! Is hibiscus tea good for you?” At the time, I had no idea I would pursue training as a clinical herbalist, end up reading dozens of studies about the plant on PubMed, or teach my own students about how to work with it one day. I did not even realize that Hibiscus sabdariffa was not the same species of hibiscus that I was so accustomed to seeing around my southern California hometown at the time. In recent years, it has become one of my favorite herbs. It has great flavor, makes beverages beautiful, is easy to grow, and has a variety of therapeutic effects.
Hibiscus Flower Benefits: Is Hibiscus Tea Good for You?
Hibiscus is often called roselle in other parts of the world and has long been revered as a folk remedy for cardiovascular support. These days, we have access to some scientific research that confirms what folk healers have long known about the herb – that hibiscus boasts some impressive health benefits, and that hibiscus tea is, indeed, good for you.
Research has shown that hibiscus health benefits include:
The ability to lower blood pressure (this hypotensive effect that has even been found to be on par with and occasionally more effective than that of some medications) [2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11]
The ability to reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels whilst increasing “good” HDL cholesterol levels [6]
The ability to help reduce development of atherosclerosis in animal research [1]
Together, hibiscus’ health benefits can thus contribute to healthy cardiovascular function and support heart health. The response to the question, “Is hibiscus tea good for you?” is a resounding, “Yes!”
Growing Roselle
Growing roselle is a lot like growing okra. The plants are in the same botanical family, are both grown as annuals in temperate regions, and produce flowers that are somewhat similar in appearance. (I have an older article on growing hibiscus available here.)
Hibiscus sabdariffa seeds benefit from a process called scarification, which involves nicking the seed coat prior to sowing to help increase germination rates. This can be done by gently rubbing the seeds between two pieces of sandpaper. After scarifying the seeds, I like to place them in a bowl of water to soak overnight, which also seems to help with germination.
Place the seeds in a tray or pot, cover with just a small layer of soil (they do not need to be buried deep, but they do need to be covered), and water them in. Once they have a set of true leaves, I like to transplant them directly into the garden. They do not like being transplanted once the plants have an established root system, so this a species that I typically do not start seeds for until about 2-3 weeks before my last frost date. That way, I can transplant them into garden beds once the soil has warmed up enough to plant out my peppers and tomatoes.
Plant the seedlings about 24” apart to give the plants room to grow. I prefer to tuck them into their new spots with some starter fertilizer that includes mycorrhizal amendments to support root development.
As the plants grow, they will begin to produce cream-colored flowers. Leave these on the plants and in late summer, after they have been pollinated and dropped their petals, the calyx of each flower will swell as the fruits develop. Once the fruits are between 1-2” long and plump, you can harvest them for use in teas.
How to Dry Roselle Calyx
To make it easier for you to work with the dried calyces, you will want to do a bit of processing before you begin the drying process. Make sure your freshly harvested calyces are clean and dry, then remove all the red sepals from the center of the calyx (the seed pod – it is usually green). Spread these out in a single layer and either air dry them in a room with good air circulation or place them in your dehydrator. I prefer to work with lower temperatures to dry them, as some of the nutrients they contain are heat sensitive. Once completely dried, they can be stored in an airtight container.
You can use your dried hibiscus to make tasty, tart-flavored teas and punches. I like to mix it with linden (Tilia spp.) flowers for tea. Linden flowers have a pleasant, sweet flavor that helps to balance the tartness of the hibiscus. You can also make jams and jellies, homemade candies, and syrups with your dried hibiscus.
How to Make Hibiscus Tea
To make a simple hibiscus tea, place a teaspoon to a tablespoon of dried sepals in a heat-safe mug and pour freshly boiled water over them. Cover the mug and allow the tea to steep for 15 minutes. Strain out the plant material, sweeten with honey if necessary, and enjoy. Hibiscus tea is a delightful bright red color that can make tea blends and other beverages made with the dried sepals look quite pretty.
Hibiscus tea has a bit of astringency to it, so if you tend to run dry, you might want to combine it with more moistening herbs like linden or marshmallow root to help offset that effect.
For noticeable therapeutic effects, you will want to consume 2-4 cups of hibiscus tea each day long-term. Hibiscus is not an acute-use herb, so it will not have any noticeable effect if you are drinking it only as an occasional beverage tea. It is more of a tonic herb that works best when used consistently over time.
About the Author
Hi there, I’m Erin! I am the main instructor here at Floranella. I am a clinical herbalist, aromatherapist, artisan distiller and organic gardener based in the Pacific Northwest. Here at Floranella, I teach people how to work with plants safely and effectively from the garden to the apothecary. Thanks for being here! I’m glad you stopped by.
References
Chen, C. C., Hsu, J. D., Wang, S. F., Chiang, H. C., Yang, M. Y., Kao, E. S., Ho, Y. C., & Wang, C. J. (2003). Hibiscus sabdariffa extract inhibits the development of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 51(18), 5472–5477. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf030065w
Elkafrawy, N., Younes, K., Naguib, A., Badr, H., Kamal Zewain, S., Kamel, M., Raoof, G., M El-Desoky, A., & Mohamed, S. (2020). Antihypertensive efficacy and safety of a standardized herbal medicinal product of Hibiscus sabdariffa and Olea europaea extracts (NW Roselle): A phase-II, randomized, double-blind, captopril-controlled clinical trial. Phytotherapy research : PTR, 34(12), 3379–3387. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6792
Haji Faraji, M., & Haji Tarkhani, A. (1999). The effect of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on essential hypertension. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 65(3), 231–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-8741(98)00157-3
Herrera-Arellano, A., Flores-Romero, S., Chávez-Soto, M. A., & Tortoriello, J. (2004). Effectiveness and tolerability of a standardized extract from Hibiscus sabdariffa in patients with mild to moderate hypertension: a controlled and randomized clinical trial. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 11(5), 375–382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2004.04.001
Herrera-Arellano, A., Miranda-Sánchez, J., Avila-Castro, P., Herrera-Alvarez, S., Jiménez-Ferrer, J. E., Zamilpa, A., Román-Ramos, R., Ponce-Monter, H., & Tortoriello, J. (2007). Clinical effects produced by a standardized herbal medicinal product of Hibiscus sabdariffa on patients with hypertension. A randomized, double-blind, lisinopril-controlled clinical trial. Planta medica, 73(1), 6–12. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-957065
Hopkins, A. L., Lamm, M. G., Funk, J. L., & Ritenbaugh, C. (2013). Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in the treatment of hypertension and hyperlipidemia: a comprehensive review of animal and human studies. Fitoterapia, 85, 84–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2013.01.003
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McKay, D. L., Chen, C. Y., Saltzman, E., & Blumberg, J. B. (2010). Hibiscus sabdariffa L. tea (tisane) lowers blood pressure in prehypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. The Journal of nutrition, 140(2), 298–303. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.109.115097
Mozaffari-Khosravi, H., Jalali-Khanabadi, B. A., Afkhami-Ardekani, M., Fatehi, F., & Noori-Shadkam, M. (2009). The effects of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on hypertension in patients with type II diabetes. Journal of human hypertension, 23(1), 48–54. https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2008.100
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