The first time Susan Hamilton had an edible hibiscus was in a Vodka Hottie at a restaurant along Ali’i Drive. A mix of coconut vodka, lime and pineapple juice, the deep red flower sat at the bottom of the glass.
When she ate it, the taste of tang and sweetness hooked her, and the idea of farming the flower took root.
Hamilton and her husband own the Hawaiian B Natural Farms and have been growing tomatoes hydroponically in Hāmākua for the past 16 years. Last fall, they decided to switch gears to grow the edible Roselle Hibiscus after they were unable to bring workers back to help with the tomato crop following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hamilton said it was her and her husband taking care of the tomatoes, and it was killing them.
“It was 60 hours of hard labor a week for both of us, and we had zero help,” she said.
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