Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,
I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a hibiscus question.

I currently have 5 different kinds of hibiscus that I feed my red foots.

Recently, I went to a store and picked up some "dry-tolerant" hibiscus. They are commonly named Blue Hibiscus and the scientific latin name is Alyogyne Huegellii. They look totally different from other Hibiscus plants.

I was wondering if anyone knows if these are safe to feed to tortoises?

Here's a pic of the leaves

Good Q, I don't know for sure but I might try that variety in the very hot desert Imperial valley where I reside if you give it the OK. Other varieties fail hear, just too Sunny. It looks similar to the more familiar hibiscus, and the leafs look like lavatera/rose of sharron which are good food. I bet it is fine, and I have found tortoises to be pretty good about knowing what to eat...but of course nobody wants to experiment. Please post again if/when you try it. vic h.

P.S. I recently made some Jamaica or sorrel, a drink/tea made from dried hibiscus flowers popular in the Carribbean and Mexico. I tossed the used and now hydrated red hibiscus flowers into the tortoise pens and they ate'em up.

I live in Phoenix and temps right now are 115 degrees or so.

I have kept hibiscus alive here by keeping them in shade or indoors. They do all right but when it's so hot, I don't get many flowers.

I'll let you know if these "dry-tolerant" blue hibiscus end up being edible or if anyone can help us with this issue.

I emailed the Tortoise Trust and got this email back:

"Perfectly safe. No problems reported with tortoises.

Sincerely,
Andy Highfield"

Thanks Gummy bear, I live in a place even hotter than you, maybe I will be lucky to have you give a report on the status of that plant. I was dissapointed when I tried chinensis type hibiscus, they were burnt despite getting only 1/2 day of (intense) Sun. I will look for that variety...hope springs eternal! vic h.