# Hibiscus Flowers



## way2gfy (Sep 24, 2009)

I wish I would have had a video camera this morning when I gave my DT a Hibiscus Flower for the very first time.

He was sitting at the opening of his hide this morning when I went into the front room. So I put 3 different colored flowers in his food dish and filled his water dish with some fresh water. I swear he had a totally different look on his face and in his eyes when I put those flowers down. He went right over and didn't hesitate on chowing down on even the biggest flower (which could be just as big as him). I noticed he had some problems with them not being attached to anything or weighed down so I held them for him. Ate it all the way to the stem. At one point he was getting close to my fingers so I kinda took it away from him to adjust my grip.... He went after it.

Can he eat the leaves of the plant too? If he can eat the while plant then that will be a very beautiful well eaten plant going in his pen!


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## egyptiandan (Sep 24, 2009)

Yes he can eat the leaves. 

Danny


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## dmmj (Sep 24, 2009)

I have never known a DT to refuse a Hibiscus flower. And yes mine also gets a wild look in his eyes when he sees then in his pen.


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## Isa (Sep 25, 2009)

That must have been so cute to see that


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## cosmomom (Sep 25, 2009)

I have heard about feeding hibiscus flowers. My new Hermann is 6 months old - where can I find the flowers ? I know they need to be organic. Are they safe for a baby like mine? Any other flower petals to recommend?

Baby Hermann named Cosmo


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## ChiKat (Sep 25, 2009)

Nelson used to get hibiscus flowers when he was still with the breeder because she lived in Florida. I can't find any here though! My poor deprived Nelson


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## fstyle28 (Sep 27, 2009)

It's a tropical flower.
There's plenty of this in Singapore.


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## katesgoey (Sep 27, 2009)

Rose of Sharon is also in the Hibiscus family so if you can't find one species, that one might be available. They are easy to grow too - we transplanted about a dozen of them from my parent's little farm when they moved into town. Just popped them in the ground after treating the roots with root hormone and within the first year had lovely young trees sprouting up.


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## Crazy1 (Sep 28, 2009)

They can also eat roses, flowers and leaves, pansys, dandelion flowers and leaves, sunflowers, Squashblossoms, Nasturtium, California Poppy, Daylily, geranium flowers and leaves, my DT prefer Red or pink, but the Greeks will eat any color with gusto


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## tortoisenerd (Sep 28, 2009)

You can find them at nurserys and home improvement stores, but it's very rare to find organic. You can let them sit for 3-6+ months to leech out the chemicals before feeding from them. You can also try to grow them from seeds, but I've heard it's tough.


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## Madortoise (Sep 28, 2009)

Yeah, isn't that neat? Penelope had the same reaction when she first saw the red hibiscus. Here's a pix of her coming out of her hide to say hello to hibiscus. It took a whole 2 min for her to eat it all up.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt49/madortoise/DSC00919.jpg
Interestingly, she never goes for the yellow or white hibiscus.


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## alidsalbern (Sep 29, 2009)

Hibiscus (pronounced) is a genus of plants with member species often noted for their showy flowers and commonly known as hibiscus or less widely as rosemallow or flor de Jamaica. This large genus includes about 200Ã¢â‚¬â€œ220 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae native to warm, temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. The genus also includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees.

Uses
A white Hibiscus arnottianus in Hawaii.
A red hibiscus flower in Chennai, India during late spring (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis).

Many species are grown for their showy flowers or used as landscape shrubs. Hibiscus is also a primary ingredient in many herbal teas.

One species of Hibiscus, known as Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), is extensively used in paper making. Another, roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable and to make herbal teas and jams (especially in the Caribbean).

In Mexico, the drink is known as agua de Flor de Jamaica and is quite popular for its color, tanginess and mild flavor; once sugar is added, it tastes somewhat like cranberry juice. Dieters or persons with kidney problems often take it without adding sugar for its beneficial properties and as a natural diuretic. It is made by boiling the dehydrated flowers in water; once it is boiled, it is allowed to cool and drunk with ice.[1] The flowers also also used to add flavor to the end of year punch, along with many other plants as cinnamon, guava and sugar cane.

In Egypt and Sudan, roselle petals are used to make a tea named after the plant karkade.

Certain species of hibiscus are also beginning to be used more widely as a natural source of food colouring

Hibiscus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Chionodes hibiscella, Hypercompe hambletoni, the Nutmeg moth, and the Turnip Moth.

The Hibiscus is used as an offering to Goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha in Hindu worship.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is considered to have a number of medical uses in Chinese herbology.

The bark of the hibiscus contains strong fibers. They can be obtained by letting the stripped bark sit in the sea in order to let the organic material rot away. In Polynesia these fibers (fau, pÃ…Â«rau) are used for making grass skirts. They have also been known to be used to make wigs.

Hibiscus, especially white hibiscus, is considered to have medicinal properties in the Indian traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda. Roots make various concoctions believed to cure various ailments.

A 2008 USDA study shows consuming hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. Three cups of tea daily resulted in an average drop of 7.2 point in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 point drop in the volunteers who drank the placebo beverage. Study participants with higher blood pressure readings (129 or above), had a greater response to hibiscus tea, their systolic blood pressure went down by 13.2 points. This data supports the idea that drinking hibiscus tea in an amount readily incorporated into the diet may play a role in controlling blood pressure, although more research is required.

The natives of southern India use the Red hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) for hair care purposes. The red flower and leaves, extracts of which can be applied on hair to tackle hair-fall, dandruff on the scalp and also for colouring the hair. It is used to make hair-protective oils. A simple application involves soaking the leaves and flowers in water and using a wet grinder to make a thick paste, and used as a natural shampoo. its petals are used to cure fever while its roots are used to cure cough.

In the Philippines, the gumamela (local name for hibiscus) is used by children as part of a bubble-making pastime. The flowers and leaves are crushed until the sticky juices come out. Hollow papaya stalks are then dipped into this and used as straws for blowing bubbles.

Dried hibiscus is edible, and is often a delicacy in Mexico.

The red hibiscus flower is traditionally worn by Tahitian women. A single flower is tucked behind the ear. Which ear is used indicates the wearer's availability for marriage.


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## Madortoise (Sep 29, 2009)

You can buy packets of powder to make Jamaica drink. It's very tart, red, and tastes like...well, Hibiscus!


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## dmmj (Sep 29, 2009)

also the plants (flowers) have two different taste in the US anyways they can have a sweet or spicy taste to the flowers. Even though I don't buy them in the stores anymore if you do buy them from a store sample the flower first. The peppery ones you do not want to feed your tort because they will most likely not eat them, get the sweet or nuetral flavored ones. Just a helpful tip to enhancing your torts hibiscus expeirence.


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## Madortoise (Sep 30, 2009)

I'm all about enhancing my tort's dining experience. Thank you for the tip!


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