Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Hibiscus

• Hindi:          Gurhal  

• Manipuri:    Juba kusum athonba 

• Kannada:    DasavaLa 

• Malayalam: Chemparati 

• Tamil:          cembarutti 

• Marathi:      Jaswand  

• Konkani:     Dosni Phool 

Botanical name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis     

Common Name : Hibiscus Flower, Lipstick Flower, ChinaRose, Shoeback Plant, Kinaros.

Family:                   Malvaceae (mallow family)

Nobody knows whether the hibiscus really is a native of China as its latin name, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, (rosa-sinensis = Chinese Rose) suggests or not. Many believe, it comes from India. This large shrub or small tree grows to 15 feet high. The toothed leaves are arranged alternately and vary a lot, but tend to be large, dark green, and shiny. This plant has a coarse texture and may be upright or broad and spreading. It is often many-stemmed. Flowers are glorious and huge at their best -- up to 6" in diameter -- and occur in many colors. Most are flared and have a bell shape and may be single or double, smooth or scalloped. They have a long central tube with stamens and pistils at the tip.

Part Used : Leaves And Flowers.
Habitat :      Commonly cultivated as a garden ornamental shrub from sea level to 500m.

Synonyms Hibiscus boryanus. Hibiscus festalis. Hibiscus storckii

Habitats Not known in a truly wild situation
Range S. E. Asia.

 Native Legends and Names:The specific epithet, rosa-sinensis, translates from Latin meaning "rose of China" describing the topical Asian origin of this species.
The common name Shoeblackplant is derived from the blue-black juice that is obtained by crushing the wilted flowers that was used as shoe-blacking and hair coloring.
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Synonyms Hibiscus boryanus. Hibiscus festalis. Hibiscus storckii

Known Hazards Do not use during pregnancy or if planning children.

Habitats Not known in a truly wild situation

Range S. E. Asia.

Medicinal use: Hibiscus flowers, roots and leaves, are anodyne and emmenagogue. They regulate menstruation and stimulate blood circulation. Flower extract has been traditionally used for liver disorders, high blood pressure and as an aphrodisiac. Young leaves and flowers are used in case of headache. Decoction of leaves, root and fruits are helpful in treatments of arthritis, boils and coughs, and  the  fruit is used externally in cases of sprains, wounds and ulcers. Hibiscus tea is rich in Vitamin C.

Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis helps in inducing abortion, provide treatment for headache. Young leaves are sometimes used as a spinach substitute. Flowers can also be made into a kind of pickle or used as a purple dye for colouring foods such as preserved fruits and cooked vegetables. Root is edible but very fibrousy. Its also good for hair treatment. The leaves and flowers are beaten into a paste and poulticed onto cancerous swellings and mumps. The leaves are anodyne, aperient, emollient and laxative. A decoction is used as a lotion in the treatment of fevers.

Safety: Some herbs could react with certain medication. Therefore, it is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption of any herb.

Synonyms Hibiscus boryanus. Hibiscus festalis. Hibiscus storckii

Habitats Not known in a truly wild situation

Range S. E. Asia.

Religious association

The Hibiscus flowers are used in the worship of Hindu deities, especially Goddess Durga / Kali. The glowing complexion of the Devi is often compared with the beauty of the flower.

These flowers are also available all round the year. 

These flowers are special to Devi and Sri Ganesha. 

The Sun God is also compared with the Hibiscus flower. 

A famous sloga in praise of the Sun God begins –

‘Japa kusuma sankarsham, kashyapeyam maha-dyuthim’.

(Let us chant the glories of the Sun God, whose beauty rivals that of the Japa (Hibiscus) flowers)

There are 5000 varieties in China rose or shoe flower, Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa sinensis). There are many uses of hibiscus, including beauty tips, medicines and dyes. Do you know that some tribes are using this flower for cancer? Many colors of Hibiscus are available. Of all these white one has much importance in medicine.

• The chemicals in hibiscus flower helps in growth of hair. It reduces dandruff and makes the hair black.
• The natural oil in this flower acts as a good conditioner
• This flower can be used as natural dye for hair
• The oil in this flower can be applied to the skin of patients who are suffering from cellulite which makes the skin to glow
• The ash obtained by burning the flower and leaves of this flower can be applied to eyebrows which glazes them black
• This flower can be used as shoe polish by rubbing it on the shoe
• Hibiscus flower can be used as contraceptive. The oil from this flower is used for abortion in some tribes in Jamaica.
• Jamaicans use this flower in herbal tea as it contains many minerals and vitamins
• The juice from these leaves and flowers can regularize the menstrual cycle
• Ayurveda says the medicine made from its roots can be used as a prevention of venereal diseases
• According to traditional medicine if we eat the buds of white hibiscus flowers early in the morning on empty stomach it should cure all the diseases. We can mix sugar if we are unable to eat directly.
• This flower improves digestion. Hence raw flowers are eaten by Hawaiian people, and Chinese eat this flower by making pickle.
• The fiber from this stem is qualitative. This can be used in manufacturing of clothes, nets and paper.
• The roots of hibiscus are boiled in oil until the water gets evaporated. Then the oil can be applied to the wounds caused by cancer. This can be very useful in initial stage of cancer.
• According to the traditional medicine, the flowers of white Hibiscus can be dried in the shade of neem tree. Then they can be powdered and it can be used to fight all cancers.

According to Ayurveda it is good for increasing blood count among anemic people. The bright Red variety that is commonly found in tropical countries is supposed to be the best . The flowers are boiled in a little water and blended in a mixer with roasted cummin seeds and salt and consumed after diluting it to the required level ,for increasing the quantity of hemoglobin .

The flower is also used for hair care. The leaves and flowers are added to hot coconut oil and slowly heated for a few minutes , after which the oil is completely cooled and filtered. The Oil is then stored in bottles and used to apply to the hair . The oil should be massaged into the hair and left for an hour or two after which it can be washed with a shampoo. This treatment when done regularly has been proved to be  very helpful in stopping hair loss and promoting new hair growth.

  In India certain varieties of Hibiscus flowers are used for cooking. Hibiscus is supposed to contain some vital nutrients that are essential for the body and in the southern parts of India it is regularly used in cooking. 

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