Hibiscus Flowers - Beautiful, Tasty, & Useful!

Today I'm writing about a flower which is not only beautiful, but highly useful, too - the Hibiscus! I often see these beautiful flowers at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park - this photo was taken in their English Garden. Let's learn some fun facts about the Hibiscus!

• There are more than 200 species of Hibiscus flowers!
• While these flowers can be the size of many flowers, they are also quite large - even 12 inch blooms are common!
• Hibiscus petals are edible and often used to make a tart, cranberry-like tea which is high in Vitamin C
• Hibiscus is used to make natural dyes for foods and cosmetics, and in some cultures, fibers from the plant are used to make rope.
• Despite their beautiful colors and size, most hibiscus flowers have no scent.
• Rubbed on shoes, hibiscus blooms bring back the natural luster of leather, hence the common name “shoe plant” or “shoeblack plant” in India.
• A hibiscus flower can be used to determine the pH of a liquid. If the flower turns dark pink or magenta it is in an acidic solution and will turn green in an alkaline one.

You will find more fun facts about Hibiscus flowers at this link - share them with the children you love!