Roselle is an annual herbaceous shrubwhich belongs to the family Malvaceae. More than 300 species of Hibiscus are grown over the world. Tropical Africa is considered as the centre of this origin. It is being cultivated in warm countries particularly in Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Cuba, Central America, California, Florida, Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria, West Indies and Sri Lanka. In India it is cultivated in Punjab, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Orissa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.Most of the Hibiscus species are used as ornamental plants. Among them Hibiscus sabdariffa is having certain medicinal properties. It is mainly grown for its fleshy calyx (sepals), which is the commercially valuable part of the plant. The color of the calyx plays an important role in determining the quality of karkade. It is used in form of sauces, jams, juices, jellies, syrups, flavoring and coloring agent for food and drinks.