Roselle Citrus Tea

Name: Roselle Citrus Tea
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup freeze-dried roselle; ½ cup freeze-dried lemon verbena leaves; ¼ cup freeze-dried stevia (or less depending on taste); ½ cup freeze-dried lemon grass; ¼ cup freeze-dried lemon peel; lemon slices (optional); orange slices (optional); honey (optional)

By: Angela Judd | February 4, 2026

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A white mug of Roselle Citrus Tea and a jar of loose tea leaves with a wooden spoon rest on a rustic wooden surface outdoors.

Sip on some goodness with my favorite tea, roselle citrus tea. The first blooms on my roselle signal the beginning of fall. I look forward to the cooler temperatures and roselle harvests. One of my favorite things to make with roselle is roselle citrus tea. Brisk mornings are perfect for a warm cup of this delicious tea. It’s made from freeze-dried or dehydrated roselle, lemon verbena, stevia, lemon grass, and lemon peel.

Roselle citrus tea is easy to prepare and can be enjoyed as a warm or cold beverage. This tea is a delightful combination of tart and sweet flavors. In this blog post, I’ll share my recipe and explore some health benefits of its delicious ingredients.

Three images: pouring tea into a mug, dried tea ingredients in a jar, labeled jar of Roselle Citrus Tea.

A bright, ruby-red citrus tea made with roselle and lemon herbal flavors — refreshing hot or iced and naturally tart-sweet with floral citrus notes.

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What is Roselle Hibiscus?

Roselle is a tropical hibiscus plant widely used for medicinal and culinary purposes. It goes by many names, including red sorrel, Jamaican sorrel, Hibiscus sabdariffa, and Florida cranberry. It is a beautiful plant that produces deep red fruit calyxes that can be used in various recipes, including jellies, jams, teas, and more. If you want to learn more about how to grow this amazing plant, check out our blog post on “How to Grow Roselle.”

A bowl of red roselle calyces and red pruning shears sit beside a jar, ready for making refreshing Roselle Citrus Tea, all arranged on a wooden surface outdoors.

Roselle Citrus Tea Ingredients

Roselle Citrus Tea is a tasty and healthy drink you can make at home with just a few ingredients. Since it is made from all-natural ingredients, it is a great alternative to sugary packaged drinks.

A wooden spoon holds a mix of dried herbs and flowers for Roselle Citrus Tea above a glass jar on a wooden surface.

To make Roselle Citrus Tea, you will need a few essential ingredients, including freeze-dried roselle, lemon verbena, stevia, lemon grass, and lemon peel.

These things grow easily in my low desert garden throughout the year. I preserve them at harvest time by freeze-drying. Learn more about freeze-drying in this blog post. You can also preserve by dehydrating.

Four vertical panels: rhubarb stalks, lemons, green leaves, and red hibiscus buds—each close up—highlight the vibrant ingredients found in Roselle Citrus Tea.

These ingredients may be available online if you don’t grow your own. Look for high-quality, organic ingredients to make the best-tasting and healthiest tea.

Health Benefits

Roselle is high in antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins. Studies have shown that antioxidants in the hibiscus plant have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.¹
Lemon verbena leaves contain chemicals that may reduce swelling.²
Lemongrass has flavonoids and phenolic compounds that possess antioxidant properties. It also exhibits powerful antibacterial and antifungal effects and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.³

A hand holds a jar labeled Roselle Citrus Tea in front of green leafy plants dotted with vibrant roselle flowers.

How to Make Roselle Citrus Tea

To make roselle citrus tea, combine all the ingredients – freeze-dried roselle, lemon verbena leaves, stevia, lemon grass, and lemon peel – in a blender and pulse them for a few seconds until they are chopped. Once the ingredients are blended, store them in an airtight jar.

To prepare a cup of tea, steep two teaspoons of the mixture in boiling water for 10 minutes. The smell that wafts up as you steep the tea is divine.

Three steps of making Roselle Citrus Tea: adding dried petals, pouring hot water, and straining the tea into a black mug.

If you prefer a cold drink, make roselle citrus iced tea by steeping the tea mixture in boiling water for 10 minutes, cooling the tea, and adding ice cubes and lemon slices. This makes for a refreshing and healthy summer drink.

White hibiscus flower with red center and green leaves in sunlight, with a blurred person in the background. Perfect for those interested in how to grow Roselle Hibiscus or simply appreciating its beauty.

This blog post shares five of my favorite roselle hibiscus recipes.

Don’t Have a Freeze Dryer?

Purchasing a freeze dryer is undoubtedly an investment. My freeze dryer runs almost nonstop, and I’m grateful to have one. I have the medium-size freeze dryer with the premier pump from Harvest Right.

Harvest Right Freeze Dryers

If you purchase a freeze dryer, please consider purchasing through my affiliate link. (It doesn’t cost you more, and I earn a small commission.) Your support helps me continue providing free content on my blog and YouTube channel. Learn more about how to freeze dry here.

Don't let your herbs go to waste. Instead freeze-dry herbs to preserve the flavor and quality. Learn how to freeze-dry herbs with these tips.

Learn more about the best way to preserve herbs – freeze drying!

Sources Used in This Article

Roselle Citrus Tea

5 from 1 vote

A bright, ruby-red citrus tea made with roselle and lemon herbal flavors — refreshing hot or iced and naturally tart-sweet with floral citrus notes.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Video

Ingredients

1 cup freeze-dried roselle
½ cup freeze-dried lemon verbena leaves
¼ cup freeze-dried stevia or less depending on taste
½ cup freeze-dried lemon grass
¼ cup freeze-dried lemon peel
lemon slices optional
orange slices optional
honey optional

Equipment

Freeze Dryer
Blender
Hibiscus Tea Alternative if you don’t have the ingredients
Food Dehydrator alternative to freeze drying
Tea Infuser

Method

Combine ingredients in a blender.
Pulse ingredients for a couple of seconds to lightly chop.
Store in an airtight jar.
When ready to enjoy, steep two teaspoons in 8 oz of boiling water for 10 minutes.
If you prefer a cold drink, make roselle citrus iced tea by cooling the tea, and adding ice cubes and lemon slices. This makes for a refreshing and healthy summer drink.