This species is closely related to Hibiscus cannabinus[].
It seems doubtful whether Hibiscus acetosella is a true wild species. One of the parents of this tetraploid species is Hibiscus surattensis, the other probably Hibiscus asper[]

Common Name: False Roselle

General Information

Hibiscus acetosella varies in habit from an annual to a perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody and can persist; it can grow 50 - 200cm tall[, ].
The plant is grown in home gardens as a food crop in parts of Africa, particularly west Africa, and is also grown in S. America and southeast Asia[, , ]. It is cultivated as an ornamental from the temperate zone (where it is grown as an annual) to tropical areas[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Tropical Africa - Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Cote D'Ivoire, Cameroon. Congo, DR Congo, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Mauritius

Habitat

Not known in the wild in a truly wild situation, but naturalized on the edge of forests; savannah; fallow land; forest clearings; indigenous cultivations; humid places[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Insects
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental

Cultivation Details

Hibiscus acetosella is found over a large area of tropical Africa, usually being grown at low to moderate elevations. It can also be grown as an annual in warm temperate areas. It grows best in areas with good rainfall[].
Succeeds in a sunny position, but prefers some shade[]. Prefers a well-drained humus rich fertile soil[].
There are some named varieties[].
Plants are resistant to root-knot nematodes[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked. An acid flavour with a mucilaginous texture, they can be added to salads or used in soups, stews etc[, , ]. They can be cooked with other foods to give them an acid sorrel-like flavour[]. Yellow-flowered types with green leaves are most popular for this purpose, but red-flowered types with dark red leaves are also eaten[]. Types with decorative pinkish-brown leaves are used in fresh salads, being appreciated for their special rather sour taste[].

The red flowers and possibly also the leaves are occasionally used to make a tea, somewhat similar to the use of the red calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa[].

Root - it is edible but is very fibrous[]. Mucilaginous, without very much flavour[, ].

Medicinal

An infusion of the leaves in water is used as post-fever tonic and as a treatment for anaemia[].
The leaves are crushed and soaked in cold water and the infusion is used for washing babies and young children who have body pains[, ].

Agroforestry Uses:

Grown as a hedge in food gardens, where it can be used as a food as well as a barrier[]. The form 'Red Shield' makes an ideal hedge[].
The plant is highly resistant to root-knot nematodes and is therefore an excellent crop to be used after tomatoes or other solanaceous vegetables that are affected by nematodes[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a warm greenhouse. Germination is usually quite rapid. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Give them some protection until they are growing away well.
A sowing outdoors in situ during mid spring might work, though if the summer is cool the plants might not flower and set seed.