Aunt Lilies South Sea Salad Tree
abelmoschus manihot

days to maturity:
plant spacing: 1 plant every 6 feet
sunlight requirement: 6 - 14 hours
look out for: caterpillars and aphids
harvest notes: harvest large leaves as needed
season: summer

This is a new plant for us but its in a family of plants that we are super familiar with, the hibiscus family. We have seen this super cool ornamental edible hibiscus leaf at a few other farms over the years and have always wanted to get our hands on some and we finally secured a source for healthy plant material! This vari- ety has very diverse colorings including red, variegated & green leaves. Edible hibiscus is typically used either quick cooked or raw, as its leaves can get slimy if overcooked. The leaves of hibis- cus family plants are high in vitamins A & C and in iron.

While this plant is called a salad tree we read that its max height is about 9 feet, so its more like a salad shrub. Prune it regularly to keep the new growth low to the ground and to keep the plant nice and bushy.