The Roselle is a perennial plant in the hibiscus family that is grown for its edible leaves and flowers and for its stem fibers. It has large, showy flowers and colorful fruits. It is related to okra and is native to Africa. The leaves are used as a vegetable and are a spicy version of spinach. The calyx and the flowers are used as a flavoring, a colorant and for making teas. The calyxes of the fruits are dark red, fleshy and flavored like cranberries. It is cultivated in Florida and so one of its common names is the Florida cranberry (the true cranberry is an unrelated plant in the blueberry family that grows in bogs in northern regions). The stem fibers are strong and lustrous and are similar to jute. In temperate regions it is grown as an annual and in tropical and subtropical regions it is grown as a perennial. It has a fast grown rate. It has a deep root system which allows it to be drought tolerant. Hardy in zones 9-12.