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 Australia - cool/mountain regions

November: Must be under glass or in mini greenhouse to start

  • 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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17 Jan 16, Timothy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Richard, I'm looking for this plant, would you be able let me know where can I get them. I live in Melbourne as well. Must appreciated and thank you. Timothy.
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25 Mar 14, Wendy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Rosella fruit are crimson / burgundy in colour and are ready to pick about 3 weeks after the flower falls off.
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14 Mar 14, Margaret Williams (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What colour should the Rosella Berries be when ready for harvest?
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05 Mar 14, ALEX LOSEW (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
how to grow rosella in a black soil environment and the best position I live in Kingsthorpe qld
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10 Feb 14, John Campbell (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
This year our plants are not fruiting very well. We planted in November. Friends are having the same trouble. Also fruit has green stripes on them and quite a few centre seeds have been brown and dried up. Does anyone know the cause? We live near Brisbane QLD
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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.
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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.
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01 Feb 14, Jo (Australia - temperate climate)
Has anyone tried growing Rosella plants in Sale, Victoria?
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08 Jan 14, Chris Williams (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What is the best food to feed rosellas with
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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!
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Showing 181 - 190 of 412 comments
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Hi There I moved to Bellingen 3 years ago and have been growing Rosella every year since arriving. I first tried growing them in tyres and they were great. Trying pots this year. I bought 10 seedlings that were about 5inches high from the local market. I got 10 x 42 litre rubber tubs with handles ( those colorful ones ). I drilled 12 holes in the bottom of each and 6 around the lower outside about two inches up from the bottom. Put some broken pots or stones at the bottom for drainage and fill with nice soil, compost, manure, lime and anything else that would give the plants a great start, but i waited about a month before transplanting the rosellas as i wanted to make sure everything blended together nicely. These little trees are now growing nicely and because of the handles I can move them around if I need to. 1) Don't drown them....They don't like wet feet but don't let them dry out either and cover them with mulch. 2) They love sun but will survive in filtered light. 3) The plant will grow about 5/6ft tall and Fruit will start to appear as it's maturing. 4) The best time to pick the fruit is when it's about 5 or 6cm long 5) Use scissors and don't cut too close to the branch.....cut at the bottom of the fruit and leave the little stem on the tree. By doing this you just might get another lot of fruit before the trees dies off. Yes it will die after fruiting and you will have to plant new trees next year. By the way, the flower develops first but will only be in bloom for one day. It resembles the hybiscus flower and the fruit will take about 3 weeks to develop after the flower blooms. When they're ready I pick a few of them every day and I store them in freezer bags until I have enough for Jam. Take the pod from the petals and freeze them in separate bags. Well worth growing and If you need to know more let me know Good luck Wendy

- Wendy McGregor

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