Hibiscus

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

The hibiscus (Hibiscus), known in our country as the Chinese rose, is a popular tropical flower that carries many traditional beliefs and is well-disposed because of its beauty. Hibiscus is part of the numerous genus of the Malvaceae family, which includes about 300 species. All of them, which include grasses, deciduous and evergreen shrubs or trees up to 3 meters tall, are distributed mainly in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia.

Currently there are about 500 garden forms and varieties of hibiscus, which differ in shape, size and color varies among white, yellow, pink, orange, red, purple, purple. In our country, hibiscus is often grown as a potted plant because it is not pretentious and is extremely beautiful. Hibiscus is a perennial flowering perennial.

Its beautiful and bright colors are called "flower of love" and "flower of beautiful women". This tradition originates from Haiti, where the hibiscus is a national flower and symbol. In India, flowers are an integral part of making wedding wreaths.

Hibiscus was brought from China in the early 18th century, although it is claimed that in the 15th century the Italians were already well acquainted with this delicate plant. Initially, he began to decorate the botanical gardens of the Old Continent, arousing only admiration in people who were not accustomed to such a beautiful and abundant flowering.

Growing hibiscus

The cultivation of hibiscus it is not difficult because the plant is almost unpretentious. If you want to have a Chinese rose at home, you should plant it in a sunny but sheltered place. Hibiscus is not demanding to the soil, as the only condition is that it is well drained.

The beautiful flowers of hibiscus appear in great abundance from June until the first frosts. You can propagate the plant in May by cuttings in the presence of a temperature of 20-25 degrees, and you can cover with a large plastic bag. The soil that is good for growing hibiscus should be a mixture of garden soil, leaf soil, peat soil and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1.

Mandatory when growing a Chinese rose in a pot is the annual sifting in the spring in one size larger pot. When the plant blooms with maximum flowers, do not transplant it, but transplant, just remove the top of the soil and replace it with a new one. This is done in a period of 2-3 years. You can prune the tops of the longest twigs to form a beautiful and dense crown.

As for fertilization, it should be done in the spring-summer once every 2 weeks. Fertilizing hibiscus is with mineral and organic fertilizers. During the cold part of the year, the Chinese rose should be fertilized only if it is in a warm place, once a month.

Watering hibiscus should be plentiful during the warmer months and more moderate winters. It is important to remember that the Chinese rose does not like the cold and in the presence of lower temperatures its leaves begin to fall and its flowering is not so abundant. If you keep the pot in a shady place, the hibiscus buds will start to fall.

Types of hibiscus

- Syrian hibiscus (H. syriacus) or Mugunhwa - a deciduous tree that grows as a shrub and is actually our familiar tree rose. Also known as the "Sharon Rose", it is revered as the national flower of South Korea. Syrian hibiscus can live up to 100 years and is most often used for landscaping parks, alleys, walls, fences. It begins to bloom after 3-4 years of age. The root of its name - mugun, can be translated as immortality, so the flower accurately reflects the immortal nature of South Korea;

- Hibiscus sabdarifa (H. sabdariffa) - this is a Sudanese rose, which is used to make our familiar karkade tea. It is known by the trade names hemp Rosella, Siamese jute, Java jute. The whole plant is reddish in color, and an interesting fact is that fresh leaves are used in salads. Even the seeds, which look a lot like sesame, are eaten. They are usually toasted and ground, used in soups and confectionery. Hibiscus sabdarifa flowers are used to make karkade tea;

- Hibiscus cannabinus - this species probably originates from southern Asia. It is known by many names - hemp hibiscus, hemp from Gambo (Gambo hemp), Siamese jute, kenaf, jute from Bimlip (Bimlipatam jute), hemp from Ambari, Papula from San Francisco, Dah, Meshta and others. And so as not to be misled, we must clarify that this type of hibiscus does not contain psychotropic substances. It is grown because of the plant fibers, which are obtained from dry stems and are a stable competition to hemp. They are quite strong and elastic, and on top of that they are waterproof.

- Chinese hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis) - our well-known Chinese rose, which grows in East Asia and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. As the national flower of Malaysia, its five petals symbolize the five commandments of Islam.

Interestingly, this religious symbol is revered by everyone in the country, not just Muslims. What makes the Chinese rose grown are its beautiful, saturated colors. Chinese hibiscus is widely used for decoration and layout of spacious rooms, conservatories, offices, homes, etc.

Hibiscus composition

In the composition of hibiscus and especially in the one from which karkade tea is made, an abundance of microelements and useful substances is found. Hibiscus tea is rich in vitamin C, minerals, pectin.

15-30% of organic acids are found in the composition of hyacinth, including citric acid, maleic and tartaric acid. The percentage of protein is between 7.5% - 9.5%. Dried hibiscus leaves contain 13 amino acids, 6 of which are absolutely necessary for the human body.

In addition, levels of polysaccharides, flavonoids and glycosides, such as cyanidin and delphinidin, have been found to account for the characteristic deep red color. Due to its antioxidant properties, hibiscus tea has long been used in Asian folk medicine as a mild medicine.

Use of hibiscus

As already mentioned, hibiscus sabdariffa is used to make the world-famous herbal tea Karkadeto. This tea can be consumed both hot and cold all year round and has exceptional invigorating properties, reminiscent of taste and color.

Karkade is very popular in North Africa and Egypt, where it can be bought in stores and from street vendors. It is said that the drink was preferred by the pharaohs, and the healers there used it to lower blood pressure. During traditional weddings in Egypt and Sudan, karkade tea, mostly chilled, is invariably present.

From the color of hibiscus however, many other drinks are also prepared, such as the popular one in Jamaica, in which ginger, rum and sugar or honey are added. In Trinditat and Tobago, beer with the addition of karkade is produced.

From ancient times to the present day, Panama has been making a traditional drink made from hibiscus flowers, finely chopped fresh ginger, sugar, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, which are boiled together. Traditionally, around Christmas and New Year in parts of Central America, Mexico, the West Indies, the Caribbean, a drink with hibiscus is prepared.

Dried hibiscus blossom, which is revered as a natural remedy, has long been available in health food stores in the United States, mostly in California and other southern states. Hibiscus decoction is considered the national drink of Senegal hibiscus, and in the Gambia and Mali like to complement the taste with mint and ginger.

The Chinese like to eat candied petals of the color of hibiscus. There is also made a drink that is mixed with green tea in a ratio of 1: 4 and which is sometimes added to wine.

Benefits of hibiscus

In the lands of present-day Thailand, hibiscus has been drunk since time immemorial because it is known to reduce bad cholesterol. Modern research shows that regular use of hibiscus tea or drink lowers high blood pressure. Due to its high content of vitamin C, tea is very effective for colds, flu and flu.

The tonic power of is well known hibiscus and it is no coincidence that many athletes use it. The plant acts as a diuretic, strengthens the heart, capillary walls and blood vessels. Proven to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, but also protects the kidneys and relieves spasms.

For this purpose, you can drink karkade tea 1-2 times a day.

It is said that regular consumption of hibiscus decoction helps reduce harmful fats and cholesterol in your body and improves the condition of internal organs, especially the liver.

Karkade improves appetite and has a positive effect on the digestive system and pancreas. The drink is quite suitable for people who are not in their early teens, because it helps maintain the body and rejuvenate the cells.

As mentioned above, hyacinth has proven antidepressant properties and with its complex of vitamins and minerals is a strong tonic for the whole body. The decoction of hibiscus strengthens immunity. The drink can be taken for health prevention, but for more specialized problems, a consultation with a specialist is needed and self-medication is not desirable.

Hibiscus tea

To make hyacinth tea, put 500 ml of water in a pot on the stove and add about 5 g of hibiscus leaves. Depending on the needs of your taste, you can increase or decrease the weight of the herb. Once the water boils, simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Then strain and sweeten as desired. This tea does not contain caffeine and has a pleasant slightly sour taste, pleasant aroma and deep red color. You can even eat the rest of the cooked hibiscus worlds.