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Botanical illustration of Cranberry Hibiscus
CulinarySourced entry

Cranberry Hibiscus

Hibiscus acetosella

An African hibiscus whose leaves are eaten as a vegetable and boiled into drinks for anemia and fever. Its sour flowers are edible too.

Safety at a glance

  • PregnancyNothing recorded
  • BreastfeedingNothing recorded
  • MedicinesNothing recorded
  • Who should avoid itNothing recorded
  • AllergiesNothing recorded
  • ToxicityNothing recorded

Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.

What is Cranberry Hibiscus?

Plant family
Malvaceae, the mallow family
Parts used
The leaves, shoots and flowers
Where it grows
Africa
Genus
Hibiscus
Species
acetosella

Traditionally used for

  • Leafy vegetable
  • Anemia
  • Fever (traditional)

Traditionally described as

  • Rich in caffeic acid and red plant pigments

Health topics

Where Cranberry Hibiscus appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.

  • Fever

    Leaf and shoot drinks are a traditional fever remedy in Africa. Not studied in people.

Traditions that use it

Natural compounds

Caffeic acid

What does the research say?

Traditional use

These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.

  • The leaves are eaten as a green vegetable. In western and central Africa, the leaves and shoots are boiled into drinks for anemia and fever.[1]Study

  • The flowers are edible and very sour, and are eaten as an unusual edible flower.[2]Study

Laboratory & animal research

Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.

  • In lab tests, leaf extracts slowed the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas bacteria. Red-leaved plants neutralized more free radicals than green-leaved ones.[1]Study

  • The flowers are rich in antioxidant plant pigments and acids. A flower extract didn't harm human cells in lab tests.[2]Study

  • In lab tests, leaf extracts calmed the reactions white blood cells use to cause inflammation.[3]Study

In short

No human or safety studies were found.

Sources

  1. [1] Phenolic Compounds in Extracts of Hibiscus acetosella (Cranberry Hibiscus) and Their Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties · DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184190Peer-reviewed study
  2. [2] Hibiscus acetosella: An Unconventional Alternative Edible Flower Rich in Bioactive Compounds · DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124819Peer-reviewed study
  3. [3] Comparison of metabolic profiles and bioactivities of the leaves of three edible Congolese Hibiscus species · DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2017.1305382Peer-reviewed study

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.