Monday, September 29, 2008

We've got blooms!!!!


Our Florida Cranberry aka Roselle is starting to bloom! What a lovely surprise! Check out that deep burgundy color!!!!

Positives: edible, beautiful foliage, gorgeous flowers, fast-growing annual shrubs (I planted ours in May in super poor sandy soil and they are now about 6 feet tall and almost as wide). Drought tolerant. Zero maintenance once established (that means that you'll want to water it during the first month after sown directly on the ground, and after that you can forget about it).

Negatives: If you are a tidy gardener who likes lots of symmetry and order, this plant is not for you. I have not experienced this yet, but I did read in several places that it self-seeds like crazy.
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4 comments:

GreenJeans said...

I like this plant... I have oodles of little seedlings and oodles of seeds from mine. I've always called it Cranberry Hibiscus though. The blooms are pretty pink hibiscus looking flowers but the leaf color is what is so striking about this plant.

HelloPame said...

Yeah, cranberry hibiscus is yet another name for it...doesn't it drive you crazy how many common names can the same plant go by?

One of the blooms is ready to open today...I am not a huge fan of pink flowers but, you are right, in this case the leaf color is super nice & bright...plus, anything edible I'll give a try at least once...aaaaaaaaand this plant has a history in Florida, I read that in the old FL every house used to have at least one of these shrubs (just like with the citrus of today)...that made it a bit intriguing for me as well.

Have you ever cooked or made tea with its fruit? If so, would you let me know how you did it? It'd be a first for me, and although I am not fearful of experimenting in the kitchen, it would not hurt to poke at someone's experience...especially someone much OLDER than me. (Notice blatant smiley ommision)

GreenJeans said...

Older!? Older!?!? Who me? HA!!

LOL, nah I've never cooked with it or anything. I'm hesitant to eat anything they don't sell in the produce section at Publix or at the farmers market. I've read that the leaves make a good salad.

HelloPame said...

Oh you of faded adventurous culinary spirit!!!!

Oh I forgot to say this: you are officially a picture topper and a story topper.

GF: "Our hibiscus is blooming!:
GJ: "Oh...those? We have MILLIONS of those growing in our estate. Got anything interesting in your garden?"
GF: Darn Americans
GJ: Darn foreigners

HAAAAAAAAAA! ☺☺☺☺☺☺

Go top THAT little snippet you PTST (pic topper story topper) person! :P