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 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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05 Jun 13, GRAHAME (Australia - tropical climate)
ROSELLA BUSH HAS GRUB IN STEM AND PLANT FALLS OVER . WHITISH GRUB LIKE SMALL WITCHITE GRUB
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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
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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.
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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.
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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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17 Jan 14, (Australia - temperate climate)
My dad did the same for my mum out of a piece of metal gal tube or stainless tube (I think it was out of a bicycle pump??) He put a bit of tube over it so it wasn't sharp for a handle, works a treat. I still have the one that he made for me as well.
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06 May 13, joyce inglis (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
just wondering when to set Rosella plants at Rockhampton in queensland regards joyce
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31 Jan 14, Ian Watts (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We found that around September was about the best time.
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23 Mar 13, marija (United Kingdom - cool/temperate climate)
molim vas za savijet, može li rosella uspijeti se uzgojiti i europi, croatia? hvala (I ask you for advice, you may be able to grow Rosella and europe, croatia? thanks)
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14 Mar 13, Valerie Minniss (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just had my wilting rosella plants diagnosed by the nursery where I bought them. They said it was typical of too much rain/water - so grow them high and don't mulch during heavy rainy periods like - A nematode or two on roots but not enough to kill a plant starting to flower like mine - suggested to water with a weak solution of condies crystals and interplant with marigolds to discourage nematodes. Bought 4 new plants to try again now that the big wet seems gone.
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I planted my 12 Rosella seedlings that I got from Bunnings in Late October 2014. in January I harvested the first crop and made some very tasty jams. I then made a second harvest (a little more that half the first) Yes you guessed it jammed that too. They are still growing and delivering though less and less each time. They are getting regular watering either from the rain or irrigation.

- Luigi Pameijer

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