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

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20 Aug 15, JAMES (Australia - tropical climate)
HI -- G'DAY Suggest to keen gardeners and home-cookers that if you do not grow a few Rosella Shrubs you should try. Probably one of the most useful food plants in the garden!? For example the young fresh leaves are great in a mixed salad, as are the chopped fruit (calyx). The older leaves make a superb curry (a common dish in Myanmar and other parts of SE Asia). The calyx has a myriad of uses; sun dried as a tea, made into a magnificent jam that puts strawberry in the shade, stewed and served with the morning muesli or used in tarts and puddings, and prepared as a syrup for flavouring drinks. By the way we are in the tropics, West Bali to be accurate- but this website does not show this zone!!! We reckon that if a veggie can grow in the Darwin area it is probably good for our seaside location with its high humidity and salt laden air. Cheers James
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14 Aug 15, Reg Vaughan (Australia - temperate climate)
Rosellas grow easily in Townsville mine self seeded from last year, which died off after picking and pruning. Just picked a third crop.
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11 Aug 15, Vanessa (Australia - tropical climate)
Here is a few Australian websites that sell Rosella seeds/plants: Daleysfruit; Boondieseeds; rangeviewseeds; thelostseed.
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14 Jul 15, Juanita (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can I grow Rosella plants in a pot? If so, how big of a pot and what type of growing medium? I currently live in the Hervey Bay, Qld region.
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20 Oct 16, Fay (Australia - tropical climate)
Live in Woodgate, Q4660. can I grow Rosellas in a pot? Regards, Fay.
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07 Aug 15, Malcolm (Australia - tropical climate)
Yes. We have two plants growing in black 500mm plastic pots. Already made two lots of jam. Put mulch on top of soil and keep well watered.
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07 Jul 15, BETTY tilker (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Where can you buy the seeds
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21 Jun 15, rae (Australia - arid climate)
where can I buy seeds or seedlings, thank you.
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19 Jul 15, Prometheus (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi Rae, I notice my regular seed supplier sells these. It won't let me paste the link but if you google 'the seed collection australia' you should find them. Best wishes.
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17 May 15, Paul (Australia - temperate climate)
Do they fruit once and the tree dies
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Showing 141 - 150 of 411 comments
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I live at Kilcoy QLD (Somerset Council area) & I always plant my Rosella seeds in seed trays 2nd week in August & raise under black plastic.. They germinate pretty quickly this way which allows me to have them high enough to transplant into raised beds before end of September. This way I can usually start harvesting the rosella pods by end of Dec. They keep bearing until the first hint of winter (temperature drop or cool winds) they then turn up their toes & I pull them out..I rest my beds & grow a green manure using cheap canary seed which I trim back with whipper snipper to break down in to the soil.

- Rhonda AFFOO

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