Growing Rosella, also Queensland Jam Plant, Roselle

Hibiscus Subdantta : Malvaceae / the mallow family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
S             S S S S S
T T T           T T T T
P P             P P P P

(Best months for growing Rosella in Australia - sub-tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Sow in garden, or start in seed trays. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 20°C and 35°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 140 cm apart
  • Harvest in 21-25 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Feverfew, Coriander, Nasturtium and Hyssop

Your comments and tips

29 Mar 14, Barbara R (Australia - temperate climate)
I had the same problem with later flowering than usual as well as this variegated fruit early on but now my plants are producing really well and more of the calyxes are red, with just the odd striped one. I have been watering them more often and I think that might have helped.
10 Feb 14, (Australia - arid climate)
We use the handle of an old bicycle pump cut to a length of around 9 inches. Push up from the base of the fruit and the seed will come out.
01 Feb 14, Jo (Australia - temperate climate)
Has anyone tried growing Rosella plants in Sale, Victoria?
08 Jan 14, Chris Williams (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What is the best food to feed rosellas with
01 Jul 13, Pamela Faye (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Rosellas love the sandy soil of the Sunshine Coast. Given a drink when it's hot and fed slow release fertilizer the bush will produce an abundance of fruit. After taking the advice of Annette McFarlane on ABC radio, the rosella pods were harvested every few days and froze in packets until enough fruit was collected for Nan to make delicious pots of jam. Sharing the bush with one or two small grasshoppers wasn't a problem as the flowers bloomed in abundance in full sunshine. The jam is a treat!
05 Jun 13, GRAHAME (Australia - tropical climate)
ROSELLA BUSH HAS GRUB IN STEM AND PLANT FALLS OVER . WHITISH GRUB LIKE SMALL WITCHITE GRUB
14 May 13, Jessica (Australia - tropical climate)
how do you get the green seed out of the calyx without cutting the calyx? I want to do some in syrup but can't seem to get the "flower" whole
25 Apr 14, Jackie P (Australia - temperate climate)
To remove the seed leaving a full fruit you should take a thin slice from the base of the fruit and push the seed out with a chopstick from the thick end to the pointy end. The seed will gently part the petals and pop through. Easy as! I can seed a bowl of fruit in less than five minutes.
31 Jan 14, Ian Watts (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It's fussy work for you and very tedious but if you'd like to try this method. My wife, Janine and I were shown the following: Get the stem of a broken umbrella; push that up through the petals; the seed pod (calyx) will pop through.
17 May 13, Denise (Australia - temperate climate)
When I was a child my father made a "Rosella de-leafer" by attaching an empty bullet casing to a handle - it worked well & I still have it. Maybe you could try an apple corer?
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