Today, you might spot it on a menu described as a tart, deep fuchsia-colored herbal tea - zobo or bissap, depending on which West African country or region you’re in. Roselle is a species of hibiscus probably native to West Africa. It’s the calyx of the plant, the part of the flower that protects the petals, that are best for use in food and drink preparation, according to Chris Smith, author of " The Whole Okra" and founder and executive director of the Utopian Seed Project in Asheville, North Carolina, in terms of depth of flavor - though the hibiscus flowers can be dried as whole blossoms, steeped and bottled for year-round use. More broadly, roselle is used in food preparation, animal feed and traditional medicine. But today, the hardy plant, which thrives in tropical and subtropical regions, flourishes far and wide - from China and Vietnam to Egypt, Mexico and Nigeria. Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) has been traced back to Black populations of western Sudan sometime before 4000 B.C. Nugroho Ridho / Getty Images What is hibiscus? A member of the mallow family (Malvaceae), it's directly related to okra - hence why their beautiful flowers are so strikingly similar. It's most likely native to West Africa, and it's grown around the world, especially South and Southeast Asia. The specific type of flower I am most interested in and have worked the most with is roselle, aka red sorrel, Jamaican sorrel, Indian sorrel or Florida cranberry - not to be confused with sorrel, the herb. They range in size and color: Some are white, some are pale yellow and some are blue, but the most common variety has a pink/purple/red hue. It’s very common, as there are over 200 varieties of the flower and they are grown in almost every continent. I'm sure you've heard of or seen a hibiscus flower before, had it in your tea or even grown it in your garden.
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