Named for its edible leaves , Jamaican sorrel ( Hibiscus sabdariffa var . sabdariffa ) is also called red sorrel , roselle and Florida cranberry . This shrub is a short - lived perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 10 through 11 and an yearly in colder zone . develop 5 to 7 feet tall , Jamaican sour grass ’s narrow , lobate leaves and stem are reddish - green , and it efflorescence late descend through early wintertime . Its flower bases , shout out calyces , are used for making gelatin , jam , juices and wines .
Needs and Tolerances
Jamaican common sorrel demand a full - sun situation but stomach a variety of other turn conditions . Thriving in sandy stain rich in organic matter , Jamaican sorrel tolerates most ground types and a pH range between 4.5 and 8 . This adaptable industrial plant also stand strong wind , implosion therapy and stagnant water , and grows at elevations up to 4,100 feet . Jamaican dock suffers damage from haze and Robert Frost but produce well in humid , warm conditions . In its native homelands it receives 59 to 79 inch of rainfall a year , and it take constantly moist soil in cultivation .
Spacing and Mulching
Spacing for Jamaican red sorrel depends on the grounds for growing it , but all plants benefit from mulching . If growing Jamaican sorrel as an decorative shrub or for its leaves , distance plants 3 foot apart , but if you ’re cropping Jamaican sorrel for its calyces , grow three plants together on heap 6 inches tall and 2 infantry in diameter . Space mounds 3 to 6 feet apart in row 5 to 10 human foot apart . mulch with manure helps protect Jamaican sorrel from origin pestis , suppresses locoweed , conserves soil moisture and supplies plant nutrients . go around a 2 - in stratum of well - waste manure around plant , avoiding the radical .
Weeds and Fertilizer
Weeding and fertilise Jamaican sorrel promote vigorous , healthy growth . Remove weeds from around plants each week until they grow 1 1/2 to 2 foot tall , when their leafage shade out further smoke outgrowth . If originate the plant for its edible flower bud , feed Jamaican rozelle lightly , lend oneself a 24 - 8 - 16 feed thin at a rate of 1/2 tablespoonful per Imperial gallon of water every two weeks , or at half the pace urge in the manufacturer ’s teaching . fecundate Jamaican sorrel with 24 - 8 - 16 feed diluted at a pace of 1 tablespoon per gallon of body of water , or at the recommended rate , if growing the plant life as an ornamental or to glean its foliation . Water Jamaican sorrel when the soil is dry to a deepness of 1 inch .
Harvesting and Rotating
Harvest Jamaican Jamaica sorrel leaves and calyces at unlike times , and rotate plants to different growing areas each yr . Jamaican roselle leaves are ready to pick 10 hebdomad from sowing . If growing shrubs for foliage and calyx , remove stanch to 3 to 4 in above the terra firma three time at intervals of four weeks , and then allow the plants to regrow and bring forth calyces for harvest . Calyces are ready to pick when they ’re plump and have barricade grow . turn out Jamaican sorrel to dissimilar spots every year discourages root nematode infestations . Jamaican Jamaica sorrel grows from germ and cuttings .
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