Roselle

Karkadeh, a red infusion made from roselle calyces, is Aswan’s favourite drink – served cold in summer and hot in winter.

An annual or short-lived shrubby plant of the mallow family growing 2–2.5 m tall, with reddish stems and lobed leaves. Its pale yellow or pink flowers with a dark centre resemble hibiscus flowers, and after flowering the calyces swell, becoming fleshy and deep red. These tart calyces, rich in anthocyanins and organic acids, are made into infusions, jams and syrups. The species comes from Africa and is grown throughout the tropics.

Significance in the country

In Egypt karkadeh is a festive drink – it is served at weddings and during Ramadan, and tourists are welcomed with it in hotels and on Nile cruise boats. Most roselle is grown in Upper Egypt, and the markets of Aswan are famous for their sacks of dried, dark red calyces.

Where it grows

Grown mainly in Upper Egypt – in the governorates of Aswan, Luxor, Qena and Sohag, where the hot, dry climate helps the calyces ripen.

More: Wikipedia (en) Wikipedia (pl)