Growing Cranberry Hibiscus In My Garden

As usual our day started with morning walk

at 6:42am

Sunrise at 7:40am

In March this year about 6 months ago, I received a cranberry cutting from a friend. From  this 1 cutting, I now have 2 pots of cranberry plants. When my friend told me that her plants have flowered, I went out to check on my plants.

True enough, I saw a few flower buds on the plants. Few days later, I started to see flowers.

The first cranberry flower from my garden. My cranberry plants are now about 7 feet tall. I couldn't bring myself to trim off the top of the plants because of the flower buds.

Cranberry hibiscus has greenish purple/red colour leaves and they look like maple leaves. The colour of the flowers are in deep cranberry red. They flower all the year round. They are now exposed to the morning sun. I hope to move them to a place with full sun exposure.

These plants are easy to grow and easy to maintain. It is easy to propagate from stem cuttings and seeds. I have yet to get to see the seeds and I will try propagating from seeds if when available.

Information from the internet concerning cranberry hibiscus:

The leaves and flower petals contain antioxidants, calcium, iron and vitamins B2, B3 and C. Both the leaves and flower petals can be eaten raw in salads and stir fries. The leaves taste tart and sourish like cranberries.

At the end of the day, the flowers will fold up inward and look like the above.

The folded flowers are then collected and the petals removed to be used to steep in hot water or blended with lime juice and sugar.

The tea has the colour of cranberries, taste sweet and tart like cranberries and can be taken hot or cold.

Hibiscus tea promotes belly fat burning, weight loss, reduces fat absorption and lowering bad cholesterol.

As with all herbal remedy, drinking too much hibiscus tea could cause possible side effects as such faintness, drowsiness, and etc. I have not tried consuming the leaves or flowers of the cranberry hibiscus.

Linking to Wordless Wednesday & My Corner of the World.

When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!

When you walk through the fire of oppression,

you will not be burned up - the flames will not consume you.

(Isaiah 43:2, The Living Bible-TLB)