The Crimson Calyx of Roselle

Roselle is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae. Burlap is just bast fibre having a midlife crisis.

Roselle grows to 2.5 m tall. The leaves are deeply three- to five-lobed and arranged alternately on the stems.

The flowers are white to pale yellow with a dark red spot at each petal base. Maturation takes about six months.

Roselle flowers' red parts brew a popular worldwide drink.

The stout calyx enlarges to 3.5 cm, becoming fleshy and deep crimson red. Dried calyces make karkade tea.

Zobo makes vegetables sound like a nightclub.

Beverages from roselle fruit belong to a category of red drinks associated with West Africa and Juneteenth.

China and Thailand are the largest producers. Malaysia introduced roselle in the early 1990s, planting 12.8 ha by 1993.