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

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • 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 68°F and 95°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 55 inches apart
  • Harvest in 21-25 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Feverfew, Coriander, Nasturtium and Hyssop

Your comments and tips

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24 Mar 19, Ardelle (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
One of my rosella is big and tall but no flowers, the others are fruiting well. Does anyone know why? Thanks
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14 Aug 18, ron (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
When and where to buy Rosella Plants
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16 Aug 18, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Internet - The Seed Collection Company.
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30 Jul 18, Graham Donnelly (Australia - tropical climate)
Could you please tell me why my rosellas are wilting and dying One seems to get the wilts and then all the others seem to follow I have a patch of about 20 trees ,they get to approx 3to 4 foot high and just seem to wilt and die The same area last year all the trees were fine I need help Please
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25 Mar 19, Tessa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I just read a story about a farmer who said you should never plant Roselles in the same place as last season, they dont do well for some reason
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02 Aug 18, mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Google about wilting in rosella.
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31 Jul 18, Mike L (Australia - tropical climate)
I have no idea - try putting wilting of rosella into google. I would imagine they need a lot of water in the tropics. I had Chinese cabbage like that a month or so ago. A couple of days of warm weather and little water and they just wilted.
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24 Jul 18, Marlene (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Can I grow rosella plants in Albion Park which is south of Wollongong in NSW
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28 Jul 18, Neal (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes I grew one last year in Gosford. Had enough fruit for say a few pots of jam so grow 2
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23 Jul 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
To all the questions about rosella planting - if you used this guide to look when to plant and harvest etc you wouldn't ask these questions. This website is a means for you to look up a plant (rosella) set what climate you live in and then read ALL the details about the plant. Plant time, time to harvest, if it is frost tolerant etc. Like if you are cool/mountain it says plant Nov /Dec -- so you don't plant until then.
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Showing 61 - 70 of 412 comments
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I have two bushes this year, bought as about 500mm high bushes from Bunnings. The site is very sandy soil on the east coast of Brisbane so I covered it with shadecloth and planted into that through a hole. I put combo fertilser pellets (chicken, cow etc)in the base of the hole. As soon as the bushes were rooting and growing I took out all the centers of the branches to make them bush, and get more flowers. They flowered in 8-10 weeks and of course the calyx was immediately available. We have picked about 2 kilos from the 2 bushes, washed and frozen them as there's plenty still to come. They need to be treated like any other hibiscus. Hibiscus beetles are a nuisance in the flowers but do not seem to cause any problem with the "fruit" .The flowers only last 4 hours, but can be eaten in salads. This year the flowering stems are way high above the main leaves. Approx double the height. I think the fertiliser is the trick.

- Eddie

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