Description
An erect annual shrub grown for its fleshy red calyces, which surround the seed pod after flowering.
Medicinal Uses
Calyx infusions (a sour "tea") are used traditionally for high blood pressure, fever, and as a diuretic; studied for effects on blood pressure and cholesterol.
Food Uses
Fresh or dried calyces are brewed into a tart red drink (zobo/bissap) and used in jams; young leaves are cooked as a sour vegetable.
Cultivation
Grown as an annual crop from seed; widely cultivated across Nigeria and West Africa for its calyces and leaves.
