Hibiscus sabdariffa 1:1 extract: roselle from the mallow family
Roselle is native to Africa and most likely to the west of that continent, where it was first grown for its edible seeds and later for its leaves and calyces. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it travelled to the West Indies and to Asia, and it has naturalised in plenty of places since. Botanically Hibiscus sabdariffa sits in the mallow family, alongside okra and cotton. The part that ends up in the cup is not the petals but the calyx: after flowering it swells, turns fleshy and takes on a deep crimson colour.
Those calyces give the drink its tart, slightly cranberry-like character. Egypt and Sudan know it as karkade, Senegal as bissap, Mexico as agua de Jamaica and Nigeria as zobo. This bottle holds the same plant in liquid, concentrated form. The 1:1 label refers to the ratio the tincture was made at: one part plant material per part of finished product. The bottle contains 10 ml and has a dropper, so small amounts are easy to measure into a glass of water or a cup of tea.
Use and storage
Follow the instructions on the label and shake the bottle before use. Keep the tincture cool, dry and dark, out of reach of young children. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or pharmacist first. A varied diet and a healthy lifestyle remain the starting point.
About the Avalon herbal tinctures
The 1:1 extracts form a long list of single herbs, each in the same 10 ml bottle, which makes them easy to compare side by side. Alongside Hibiscus sabdariffa, Avalon Magic Plants stocks Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower), Matricaria chamomilla (chamomile), Cynara scolymus (artichoke), Ginkgo biloba and Azadirachta indica (neem). Everything leaves our warehouse in discreet packaging.
