Hibiscus physaloides

Family: Malvaceae

What it is like

A small annual shrub. It has bristles. It grows 2 m tall. It has chalky secretions near on the lower side of the leaf at the base. The leaves are 20 cm long by 15 cm wide. It is almost round but with lobes at the end. There are teeth around the edge. The flowers are yellow with a red base. They are 9 cm across. The fruit is a capsule 15 mm long by 10 mm wide. The seeds are 2.5 mm long by 2 mm wide.

There are about 220 Hibiscus species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is widespread in tropical Africa. It grows in savannah woodland, palm groves and on coastal sands. It grows in dry stony places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Comoro, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Gambia, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The flowers are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, flowers, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Berekete, Dana-cutcha, Dzondzo, Farakutia, Farcacutcha, Nhacafi-manthoge, Nkwekwe, Nkwisa, Sasamwa, Thelele thengo, Torremimi, Wemphe

Synonyms

Abelmoschus ascendens Walp.; Hibiscus adscendens G. Don; Hibiscus adscendens Walp.; Hibiscus atroviolaceus Baill.; Hibiscus hornei Baker; Hibiscus ribesifolius Guill. & Perr.; Hibiscus variabilis Garcke;