Is sorrel the same as hibiscus?

Have you ever been walking down the aisle of your local grocery store, eyeing a bottle of sorrel or hibiscus tea, and wondered, “are these things even different?” Fear not dear friend, for today we’re going to delve into the botanical nitty-gritty and uncover once and for all if sorrel is the same as hibiscus. So grab a cup of tea (whether it be from sorrel or hibiscus plant parts), sit back, relax (but not too much), and let’s get started.

A Botanical Crash Course

Before we can truly understand what sets these two plants apart (cue dramatic music), let’s first take a moment to quickly talk about what exactly they are.

Sorrell – Behind The Plant Name

Sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a species in the mallow family that is native to West Africa. It has long been cultivated throughout Africa, Central Asia,(and potentially other regions but who knows really?), primarily for its edible leaves and stems which have an acidic taste similar to citrus fruit. Don’t confuse this with French cuisine where ‘sorrell’ typically refers instead (note use of transition word)to members of a separate type of plant known as dock (Rumex spp.).

Hibiscus – More Than Just A Garden Beauty

So now that we know just enough about sorrels(haha just kidding),let’s move on into their popular competitor,the hibsicuses.Hibiskuses(not Hulkimoses)on their end(also called rosemallow) belong to genus Hibesium,and contain over 200 different species spread across subtropical,tropical,buliding zones.They thrive on sunlight,nurtient rich soil structures(and probably a lot of serenades as well).Hibiscus tea is often made from the flower petals of Hibiscus sabdariffa which are dried and then steeped in hot water, whereas sorrel tea is typically made from the fleshy stem calyces (that’s a fancy word for ‘the part where the petals connect to the stalk’)of H.sabbarifa.(goooodness that was long,is all that popcorn consumed during movie nights finally paying off?)

Tasting The Differences

So now we’ve gotten to about our fourth paragraph and still no definitive differences between sorrells and hibiscu- I mean Hibiskuses(soon they’ll arrest me for treason). What separates these two flowers comes down, mainly,to taste. Both teas contain similar amounts of nutrients like vitamin C but differ in terms of flavour profile with one being described as tangy(my inner goddess stirred up at this peculiar adjective use)while other tastes more tart or sour,yet also fruity-ish depending on whose grandma’s version it might be.

Keep Up! We’re Just Getting Started.

Keep up my friends because this Sorrella-laxing journey ain’t near its end.Let’s talk about how they’re cultivated, their traditional usage across different cultures (including an epic Jamaican tale),and what science says about them(mostly boring,but still important).

Cultivating These Beautiful Flowers

Sorrel cultivators normally start by planting seeds early spring just around after last snow melts.The herby shrubs grow quickly -typically reaching heights of over 7ft ,thanks to NYC subway poles,and can produce high yields within just a few months especially if grown outside.From there yielders start plucking the leaves,fresh stems ,gently dry them out through distillation process to retain maximum flavonoids/flavour.There you have sorrel tea grown to a tee!

The Jamaican’Biggie& Pac’ Tale

Believe it or not, the age-long debate surrounding whether sorrel and hibiscus flowers are one and the same has been ongoing for longer than we could possibly imagine. In Jamaica which is quite popularly known for their own ‘Jul’ vibe of Sorrell ,it was considered sort of urban legend that hillbillies from deep deep country would claim “That’s hibiscus bush!”,out there on Savannah.Adding fire to this fuel, once a man trekked up and surveyd around only be gobsmacked at rather “real” Hibiscuses here . This legendary folklore overshadows what science actually tells us about such trivialities but still,it adds spice
story never gets old.

Science Has A Say – Your Favorite Part(I Hope)

If you’re more interested in scientific facts rather than spicy tales (heathen,), don’t worry we’ve got you covered as well (Just breath,everything will be alright).One study published by food scientists at Cornell University concluded that while both plants do indeed belong to the mallow family (mum on other rebelious siblings),they have different phytochemical properties particularly with respect to flavonoids.So those who argue like non-funniers,saying they’re the exact thing clearly haven’t met Flavonoids(Flavy,may I call thou henceforth?)yet.

Conclusion: Different Sides Of Same Flower?

We all have our favorite flower concoctions ,(mine being lily) but when talking about these two tropical beauts(Satisfied?),one cannot truly say either is better except based off individual preference.History,culture & taste,the underlying differences in cultivation,and even science itself could give us insight into just how varied they are(hint hint) no matter how much we might whimsically wish them to be the same (cue violins, but not for too long) In the end, you can think of sorrel and hibiscus like different sides of the same flower(weird-profound sounding huh?). Sure,they both contain similar nutrient profiles but as far as taste and other properties are concerned each is unique. So next time somebody asks; “Is sorrel the same as hibiscus?”, you’ll be able to answer confidently that nope.Not even by a “bushel” nor “petal”.

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