FLORIDA CRANBERRY
ALLIANCE
Growing and Utilizing Florida Cranberry
Florida Growing Season
June - November
Plant healthy seedling (1 ft) transplants in the ground in early June. Grow throughout the summer rainy season. Harvest begins late-September and continues through late-November.
The Florida Cranberry (Hibiscus sabdariffa) can be known as Roselle, Jamaica sorrel, Jamaican flower, Indian sorrel or red sorrel, Jamaica, or Gongura. This plant offers a myriad of culinary and aesthetic uses: leaves and flower calyces can be eaten fresh, dehydrated for teas and fruit leather, distilled, fermented into beer and wine, made into juices or syrups, or used in floral arrangements. We encourage folks of all varieties - from growers to grocers, craft beer makers to chefs, pastry chefs to florists - to introduce this fantastic fruit into your garden and kitchen.
The okra-like plant is an annual, 5-7 feet in height, with lobed leaves. The narrow leaves are three lobed and about 3 inches long; leaf stems are reddish green in color. The stem, branching from the base, is smooth and red wine in color. Flowers are borne solitary in the axil of leaves. The plant begins flowering in Florida and other subtropical climates when day lengths shorten in the Fall. Flowers open in the morning and the petals have a light yellow to sometime pink color with a dark red "eye".
After pollination, the calyx begins to enlarge and contain the seed pod. The green seed pod is not edible. The main edible part is the fleshy sepals, called a calyx, surrounding the seed boll in the flower. The calyx is bright red and acid, and can be used in preserves, jelly, juice, or a cranberry-like sauce. The size of the calyx varies with each variety, but ranges from 1/2 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter when fully grown.
Florida cranberry is usually started in April or in late August in Florida, requiring about 4 months to mature. Culture is very similar to eggplants and okra. Planting distance depends on the variety grown, generally 3 to 4 feet between plants and 4 to 5 feet between rows are adequate for most varieties. The plant grows well in most types of soils, and does very well on sandy soils. After the plant is established, it is drought tolerant.
The "fruits" at the time of harvest should be tender, crisp, and plump. After pollination of the flowers, the calyx becomes fleshy over a matter of a couple of weeks. For maximum quality, fruits should be gathered before any woody tissue develops in the calyx.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
According to the USDA nutrient database, 100g of raw roselle contains the following nutritional information:
49kcal
11.3g Carb
.6g Fat (1% RDI)
1g Protein (2% RDI)
1.6g Fiber*
287IU Vitamin A (6% RDI)
12mg Vitamin C (20% RDI)
Thiamin (1% RDI)
Riboflavin (2% RDI)
.3mg Niacin (2% RDI)
215mg Calcium (22% RDI)
1.5mg Iron (8% RDI)
51mg Magnesium (14% RDI)
37mg Phosphorous (4% RDI)
208mg Potassium (6% RDI)
FRESH FLORIDA CRANBERRY
Also known as Roselle.
Description:
The Roselle bush typically grows between one and two meters high with reddish-purple stems and dark green leaves. The trumpet-shaped flowers are 7-8 cm across and have five creamy yellow petals that fade to a deep maroon center. Surrounding the base of the blossom is the edible calyx, a fleshy dark red cup that is 2-3 cm in diameter and resembles the shape of a closed tulip. Its five outer petals should be removed from the central seed pod which is bitter and not palatable. The succulent juicy calyx has a snappy texture and tart fruity flavor similar to cranberry, rhubarb and red currant.
Season/Availability:
Fresh Roselle flower is available in the late fall. The dried product is available year-round.
Current Facts:
Roselle is a shrub-like tropical annual that is also known as red sorrel, Flor de Jamaica, Jamaican sorrel, sour-sour and Florida cranberry. Botanically named Hibiscus sabdariffa, it is a member of the Mallow family and exhibits the characteristic five petal, funnel-shaped flower. Although also edible, the pale yellow petals are not the actual part of the flower that is consumed, but rather its calyx, which is the rubbery maroon colored base of the blossom. Roselle is used as a culinary ingredient, a natural food dye and a medicinal herb, specifically for heart health. The American Heart Association reports that drinking three cups of hibiscus tea a day can lower blood pressure by as much as 13.2 percent.
Nutritional Value:
Roselle is a good source of calcium, niacin, riboflavin, iron, antioxidants and vitamin C. It may be used to treat colds, hypertension, poor circulation, and even for hangover relief.
Aplications:
Roselle may be used raw, dried or juiced. The fruit's tart flavor requires a sweetener of some kind, and it is successfully used like a cranberry in recipes for jam, jelly, chutney and even wine. Dried Roselle is usually steeped for hibiscus tea or agua fresca. The tart juice balances sweet and creamy desserts like cheesecake, gelato and ice ream. The concentrated juice is deep crimson and may be used as a natural food coloring for icing, dough or cake batter. Roselle compliments allspice, cinnamon, clove, ginger, honey, sugar, maple syrup, orange, and vanilla.
Ethnic/Cultural Information:
Roselle has been shown to reduce the absorption of alcohol and has been a hangover remedy in Guatemala for years. A mixture known as "Sudan tea" is used to treat coughs and digestive ailments in Africa. The bitter roots and seeds are more commonly used in Brazil and India to calm upset stomachs. Sorrel Shandy, Roselle tea mixed with beer, is part of many Caribbean Christmas celebrations. Roselle was cultivated for a fiber source during WWII for making burlap.
Geography/History:
Roselle is native to India and Malaysia, and was soon cultivated in parts of Africa. The slave trade brought it across the Pacific to tropical and subtropical regions of Central America, Brazil, Mexico and the West Indies. Roselle requires adequate rainfall or irrigation and is not frost tolerant. It grows in Florida, warmer regions of California and temperate climates around the world.
DRIED FLORIDA CRANBERRY
Also known as Jamaica.
Description:
Dried Hibiscus flowers have a deep red to magenta color. It has several names around the world including Jamaica, Bissap in West Africa, Gongura in India and Brazil, Karkade in Egypt and flor de Jamaica in Mexico. It's sometimes called the “other cranberry” and offers a sweet and refreshing floral taste. When it is brewed into a tea, Jamaica can have a slightly tart or sour flavor.
Season/Availability:
The dried product of fresh Florida Cranberry is available year-round.
Nutritional Value:
Rich in vitamin C and has many medicinal properties. It is known to aid in digestion, boost the immune system and is a natural diuretic.
Aplications:
Most commonly brewed as tea and served either cold or hot.
Ethnic/Cultural Information:
Maria del Oroso, a Filipino author wrote of this exotic fruit and included it in several recipes for cakes, beverages, sauces and omelets. In the West Indies, it is preferred made into a refreshing beverage as well as jams and jellies.
Geography/History:
Thought to have originated in southern China, the genus Hibiscus sabdariffa includes the cultivars grown for culinary purposes. The Hibiscus is an ornamental plant that is best cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Jamaica, dried Hibiscus has been used since ancient times and was commonly consumed in ancient Egypt. This drink was the favorite drink among royalty and the Pharaohs. This tea has grown in popularity throughout the world especially in South America, the Caribbean and Middle East. The Hibiscus flower was spread to Europe in the 1700’s and then to the United States in the 1800’s.
FLORIDA CRANBERRY LEAVES
Also known as Gongura leaves.
Description:
The leaves are deeply lobed with three to five serrated, finger-shaped leaflets. The smaller leaves offer a mild sour flavor, whereas more mature specimens are very robust and acrid. Their sour flavor is in no way bitter, but rather a refreshing acidic note, and an integral part of the Andhra cuisine in which they are so prevalent. There are two main varieties of Gungura: red stemmed and green stemmed. The green stemmed variety has a mild tartness whereas the red stemmed variety has a strong sour flavor that only intensifies with the heat of summer.
Season/Availability:
Gongura leaves are available in the summer months.
Nutritional Value:
Gongura leaves are an excellent source of folate, riboflavin, iron, zinc, anti-oxidants and vitamins A, B6 and C.
Aplications:
Most commonly dried and brewed as tea to be served either cold or hot. In India, Gongura leaves may be pickled, steamed, blanched or ground into a paste and combined with garlic, chilies and salt for making chutney. The sour leaves heighten the rich flavor of legumes and fatty meats, therefore making them a perfect complement to dishes with lentils, goat or mutton. Gongura is also commonly prepared the flavor profiles of tamarind, red and green chilies, turmeric, cumin, onion, garlic, sesame and curries.
Ethnic/Cultural Information:
Florida Cranbery plant has been used as a multi-purposed plant around the world. The juice of its flowers has been shown to reduce the absorption of alcohol and has been a hangover remedy in Guatemala for years. A mixture known as "Sudan tea" is used to treat coughs and digestive ailments in Africa. The bitter roots and seeds are more commonly used in Brazil and India to calm upset stomachs. A popular drink known as Sorrel Shandy is part of many Caribbean Christmas celebrations. It was also cultivated for a fiber source during WWII for making burlap.
Geography/History:
The traditional use of Florida Cranberry leaves (Gongura) is native to India and Malaysia, and was soon cultivated in parts of Africa. The slave trade brought it across the Pacific to tropical and subtropical regions of Central America, Brazil, Mexico and the West Indies. Gongura requires adequate rainfall or irrigation and is not frost tolerant. It grows in Florida, warmer regions of California and temperate climates around the world.
(Sources: www.seminolecountyfl.gov, www.specialityproduce.com)
