I walk in a park in Addison across from the athletic club when I notice several bushes with giant hibiscus flowers. They are gorgeous! When I was in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, for a month, I took a private tour of the Mask Museum run by owner/curator Bill LeVasseur for 14 years. He kindly invited our small group for agua de jamaica or hibiscus water which was very refreshing.
According to the article “History of Hibiscus” on Hidden Valley Nature Arts’ website, the ancestors of today's modern hibiscus hybrids were sprinkled all around the globe, following the equator from one warm, tropical land to the next. The eight hibiscus species that are considered to be the ancestors of the modern exotic hibiscus were originally native to Mauritius, Madagascar, Fiji, Hawaii and either China or India.
What were the ancestors like?
Similar in many ways to today's hibiscus, the ancestors were characterized by free flowering, tall and willowy bushes — mostly and the ability to form seeds using their own pollen that would grow into plants that are genetically identical to the parent plants. The flowers were smaller than many of today's hibiscus, but they made an abundance of these smaller, single-colored blooms.
Why are these hibiscus species considered ancestral to the modern varieties and not others of the hundreds of known hibiscus species?
These eight hibiscus species have all been involved in the development of the modern hybrids that we are familiar with today. That means that they have proven to be cross-compatible with at least one other of these ancestral species. In other words, applying the pollen of one of these species to the staminal pads of another of these species will result in seeds that are viable. Most hibiscus species are not genetically compatible with each other and cannot reproduce with each other, but these eight can do so and have been so used over the last 300 years.
Do the ancestors still exist, and can we find them to grow?
Yes, most of the ancestors do still exist. Here is a quick rundown on them and their availability today:
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis: This one is a little confusing because you will often see the entire group of ornamental, tropical hibiscus that are so common in the southern U.S. referred to as named varieties of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. This is not entirely accurate, as ornamental hibiscus are really all hybrid crosses of any of these eight original native species hibiscus. So even though modern hibiscus are all called varieties of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, the truth is that they're all a mix of several species. But Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is actually the correct name of one of the original species plants.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was first discovered in China or perhaps India. Botanists are not really certain, since no wild stands of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis have been found growing anywhere. Wherever it originated, it was brought back to Europe by explorers in the 1700's. Carl Linnaeus, who gave us the Latin-based taxonomy of plants that became the standard, collected at least one specimen of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and gave it that name in 1753 when he released his famous books, "Species of Plants.” He described a red double flower in that first naming of hibiscus.
This species, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, has been grown ever since in European botanical gardens and by private collectors. It is a beautiful, vigorous, glossy-leafed plant with intensely bright red, double flowers. It is very fun and easy to grow — even as a houseplant — and it is definitely recommended for modern hibiscus lovers.
Hibiscus lilliflorus: This species of hibiscus is native to the Mascarene Islands off the east coast of Africa. One of these islands, Mauritius, has been an important seaport for centuries. Back in the 1700's and 1800's it was a major stopping point for ships sailing around the southern tip of Africa on their way to or from India and China. Mauritius was controlled by several European countries at different times in its history, but during the English rule in the 1800's, it was discovered that Hibiscus lilliflorus — native to Mauritius — could be cross-pollinated with Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and new, fertile hybrids would result.
Hibiscus lilliflorus still exists in Mauritius and is grown in many botanical gardens around the world. It is a tall, slender plant, and a vigorous grower. The flowers are 3-4" flute-shaped singles that are produced freely and in abundance.
Hibiscus schizopetalus: This species was discovered on Madagascar, a large island located between Mauritius and the east coast of Africa. Since its discovery, the unique flowers have caused this species to become highly desired by plant collectors, and it is now found in private and public gardens around the world. Schizopetalus means "split petals" and describes the unique and delicate look of the flowers of this hibiscus.
Hibiscus schizopetalus is spread mostly by vegetative propagation. It grows tall and lanky with medium vigor, and the charming flowers appear on every stem once it matures. The most unusual of all the hibiscus species, Hibiscus schizopetalus is a worthy addition to any hibiscus collection.
Hibiscus fragilis: This species was also discovered on the island of Mauritius but is almost extinct in the wild. Only a few dozen plants of it are known to still be growing on the island, but botanical gardens such as the Kew Gardens in England have made efforts to save it from extinction. The flowers are red singles, and the bush seems so far to be slow growing and sturdy.
Hibiscus genevieve: This is the third species of hibiscus to be discovered on Mauritius. It is said to have pink single flowers.
Hibiscus arnottianus: This species was discovered all the way around the world from Africa, growing on the Hawaiian Islands. The flowers are white, and the bush is well-branched, though less tall and upright than the African hibiscus species. Once Hibiscus arnottianus was spread among the various islands, the species formed various subspecies as they evolved on the separate islands. These subspecies — though very similar — vary slightly one from the other. Today it is rather difficult to determine if one has a particular subspecies, because so many are collected, traded or sold as Hibiscus arnottianus without making the distinction.
Hibiscus storckii: This species was discovered and named by a botanist visiting the island of Fiji back in the 1800's. Expeditions to the island since then have not located any surviving examples of this species of hibiscus still growing on Fiji. The flowers are light pink, and the bush is said to be small with cascading branches. Kew Botanical Gardens in England received cuttings of this species directly from the botanist who discovered it and, fortunately, has been able to grow it continually ever since.
Hibiscus kokio: This species is another that was discovered growing in the Hawaiian Islands. It is a smaller, less vigorous hibiscus, making small red flowers. We doubt that this species has played much of a role in the development of the modern ornamental hibiscus.
Why should you bother collecting and growing the ancestral species?
First, they are great plants that bloom more freely than most of the modern exotic varieties. Second, it is fascinating to possess and grow historically important plants. Once you do, you can see where various traits in modern varieties likely came from. You can also use the ancestors as part of a hybridizing program to infuse vigor and ease of propagation back into a line of modern varieties. And lastly, by growing these original species plants, you are helping to keep them safe from extinction. None have secure native environments to thrive in, and some are extinct except for the specimens grown in human planted gardens. These eight species of hibiscus found all around the world are genetically related enough to be able to successfully cross-pollinate each other. In other words, any of these eight species can serve as mother or father — seed maker or pollen donor — and viable seeds that will germinate and grow as hybrids will result from this cross-pollination.
Where did the hybridizing begin?
We don't know how the original eight species of hibiscus came to be separated from each other. We can speculate that at one time they grew closer together but that continental drift eventually separated them. Or, it is possible that they all come from the same ancestral hibiscus, and this ancestral plant evolved into the different but related species when stands of this ancestral species were separated from each other. We can see this happening even now in the Hawaiian islands when plants of one of the Hawaiian native hibiscus species develop unique characteristics, as they grow and evolve on separate islands. Another theory worthy of consideration is that in prehistoric times, the ancestors of the Polynesian people set out from their original home in southeast Asia and migrated throughout the Pacific, carrying with them seeds of the original hibiscus species that they planted in various locations during this long migration. However it happened — by the year 1700, eight cross-compatible hibiscus species were growing naturally on tropical islands off the east coast of Africa and all the way to Hawaii.
The island location of the original species played a critical role in what happened next. By the 1700's, when Carl Linnaeus named one of the species Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, European exploration of the world by ship was well underway. Many ships sailed with botanists and zoologists, whose job it was to discover new and commercially important species of plants and animals. Many ships were engaged in trade with the Far East, and the most common route between Europe and China was around the southern tip of Africa. The islands of Mauritius and Madagascar lie along this trade route. Both islands were used as important ports where ships would stop to resupply for the journey ahead.
Between 1700 and 1900, Mauritius was a key island involved in spreading hibiscus around the world. Many ships called in the port on their way to and from the ports of India, China and Europe. Mauritius itself was the natural location of three of the eight cross-compatible species of hibiscus. In addition, an Irish surgeon and naturalist, Charles Telfair, settled on Mauritius with his wife Annabella in 1810 when the British occupied Mauritius. Telfair hybridized hibiscus for the next 20 years and kept a written record of his efforts. We don't know how many of these early hybrids made their way onto ships and thus around the world, but it is likely that many of them did.
There is no complete or even detailed documentation existing today that allows us to trace the early hybrids of hibiscus made on Mauritius or any of the other places where the species hibiscus were found. It is likely that Kew Gardens in England and other horticultural centers in Europe also created hybrids using these species of hibiscus. What we do know is that by the early 1900's, many hibiscus hybrids were being used extensively in landscaping throughout the world. The common red single-flowered hibiscus, called “Brilliant” in the U.S., is probably the best-known hibiscus in the world. Nobody knows where it came from or when it was hybridized. It seems likely that the single red species on Mauritius, known as Hibiscus fragilis, was either a parent or an ancestor of “Brilliant.”
Also well known by the 1900's was the pink single known as “Pink Versicolor,” with similarities to the species H. liliiflorus. The photo depicts this variety in pink, white and yellow. An example of a hybrid that came from early European hybridizing is “Cooperii,” with its unusual variegated leaves.
By 1900, first- and second-generation hybrids of hibiscus were growing in most tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Although many improved on the species plants in one way or another, they had not yet attained the flower size and vast array of colors that were to come from more intense hybridization in the 20th century. This hybridization was first done in Hawaii in the first decade of the new century.
According to Jeanne Kelley’s July 15, 2016 article “You can do way more than make agua fresca with jamaica, or hibiscus, flowers: Try making tacos or a pavlova” in the Los Angeles Times, you wouldn’t expect to find an old herbal folk remedy for hypertension to taste so good in a taco — of all things — but vibrant, claret-hued hibiscus does just that. Yes, we’re suggesting you make tacos out of dried flowers. Most people meet hibiscus as a tart infusion when they sip a hot cup of Red Zinger tea or pull a swig of agua fresca de jamaica at their favorite taqueria. Like cranberry — but more nuanced — culinary hibiscus has a fruity-floral brightness and tinge of mustiness. The big flavor and color of hibiscus is so vivid that it shouldn’t be limited to just hot and cold tea.
This bright, bracing beverage isn’t steeped from the large Hawaiian-shirt hibiscus that blooms abundantly in Southern California gardens, but brewed from the calyxes of Hibiscus sabdariffa — more commonly referred to as Thai hibiscus, Jamaican hibiscus, roselle or flor de Jamaica. Slightly tannic on the tongue yet with earthy berry hints, hibiscus cuts the sugariness of sweets, adds pop and color to cocktails and vinaigrettes, and tang to savory dishes.
Pretty, blush-pink flowers bloom on red wine-stemmed bushes with trident leaves, but it’s not the delicate petals that you want, but the outer sepals that form the protective, pointy calyx around the flower bud. The succulent calyxes can be eaten fresh and the sensation is similar to munching on raw cranberries. In Mexico, the author once had an avocado, orange and red onion salad garnished with thin slivers of fresh jamaica that had been freshly plucked from the garden.
When shopping for jamaica, look for purplish-pink whole calyxes that are dry, and yet still slightly supple. Purchased in packages or in bulk from a Mexican market, jamaica tends to be a bit gritty. So, it’s good practice to rinse the hibiscus under cool, running water just long enough to flush away any lingering dust, but not so long as to leech out flavor.
Hbiscus syrup recipe
3 cups water
1 cup dried hibiscus blossoms (jamaica)
2/3 cup sugar
In a heavy saucepan, combine the water and hibiscus blossoms over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Cover and remove from heat and set aside to steep for 1 hour. Strain the tea; discard the hibiscus. Return the tea to the saucepan and stir in the sugar. Boil the tea over medium high heat until the mixture is the consistency of thick syrup and is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 25 minutes. Cool the syrup completely. The syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 5 days.
Jamaica Margarita
4 ounces 100% agave silver tequila
3 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce hibiscus syrup
Ice cubes
4 to 8 ounces chilled soda or seltzer water
Lime slices, for garnish
In a small pitcher, combine the tequila, lime juice and syrup and stir until well-blended. Fill the glasses with ice. Pour the margaritas into the glasses, dividing evenly. Top off each of the cocktails with soda water, about 1 to 2 ounces each. Stir and garnish each with a lime slice.
Equally surprising as the varied ways to use hibiscus in cooking is the worldwide popularity of the culinary herb. I had always thought that jamaica was a Mexican plant, but the flower was brought by Spaniards to the West Indies long before it flourished in Mexico — after all, it is named after Jamaica. In West Africa I was once served a refreshing hibiscus cooler. I knew that the innkeeper was originally from San Diego, so I asked him if he brought the jamaica from the States. He schooled me, relating that he was pouring a bissap tea and that the sour red roselle was native to West Africa and that beverages brewed from Hibiscus sabdariffa were enjoyed all over the African continent.
Shopping for spices at an Indian market, I picked up a cellophane package of dried hibiscus with a Middle Eastern label and asked the clerk if the flowers were used in Indian dishes. His said, yes, in jelly and chutney. In Southeast Asia hibiscus tea is a thirst-quenching antidote to soaring temperatures and spicy food. In Jamaica, where the plant is known as sorrel, fresh hibiscus is brewed with ginger, orange peel and spices. Strained, sweetened and spiked with rum, it’s used to make traditional holiday punch. In nearby Trinidad a popular shandy is blended from beer and hibiscus tea.
Rose-Scented Pavlovas With Hibiscus And Berries
¼ cup (about 2 large) egg whites, at room temperature
½ cup sugar, divided
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon rose water
Meringues
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 275 degrees. Firmly trace six (2 1/2-inch) circles on parchment paper, then invert paper onto a baking sheet.
2. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and pinch of salt in a large, clean bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 6 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until medium-firm peaks form. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, then gradually beat sugar-cornstarch mixture into meringue. Continue beating until very stiff peaks form. Beat in the vinegar and rose water.
3. Divide the meringue between circles, spooning it to fill each circle completely. Bake until the outside is dry to the touch and the meringues are just beginning to color slightly, about 35 minutes. Turn oven off and open door just slightly and leave the meringues in the oven until completely cool. The meringues can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Filling
1. In a large bowl, toss the berries with the syrup to coat completely.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form.
3. To serve, spoon a dollop of whipped cream on to the center of each of 6 plates. Top each with 1 meringue. Spoon the berries over meringue and top with remaining whipped cream, dividing evenly. Drizzle with additional syrup if desired and serve.
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