dried hibiscus flowers

Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are renowned for their large, showy flowers and are commonly known simply as hibiscus, or less widely known as rose mallow. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees. 

The tea made of hibiscus flowers is known by many names in many countries around the world and is served both hot and cold. The beverage is well known for its color, tanginess and flavor. It is known as bissap in West Africa, “Gul e Khatmi” in Urdu & Persian, agua de jamaica in Mexico and Honduras and Orhul in India. In Jamaica, Trinidad and many other islands in the Caribbean, the drink is known as sorrel. In Cambodia, a cold beverage can be prepared by first steeping the petals in hot water until the colors are leached from the petals, then adding lime juice (which turns the beverage from dark brown/red to a bright red), sweeteners such as sugar or honey and finally cold water or ice cubes.

In Egypt, Sudan and the Arab world, hibiscus tea is known as karkadé, and is served as both a hot and a cold drink. Dried hibiscus is edible, and it is often a delicacy in Mexico. It can also be candied and used as a garnish, usually for desserts. The roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is described as having has a number of medical uses in Chinese herbology.