I was smoking at 12 in France in 1999, I told tobacconists I was buying them for my mom. Pulled the same thing off in the states when I moved there 2 years later. And I was far from alone. These are far more recent (terrible, obviously) habits than you might think.

That’s actually not true, ‘ground apple’ is a common name for different sorts of tubers in a number of different languages, going back to the latin ‘malum terrae’.

Why thank you.

I’ve been saying the same thing the entire time

This is hibiscus sabdariffa

The picture you posted is of the wrong species, which I assume is why you were confused.

The calyx is red (and the petals are yellow/white) on hibiscus sabdariffa, which is the species they use commercially.

Suit yourself I guess, it’s a common misunderstanding.

You can also eat the petals, but the stuff you’ll find commercially are calices. I assume the petals are perhaps too fragile to process ? https://www.tyrantfarms.com/hibiscus-a-tasty-addition-to-your-edible-landscape-or-garden/#edible-parts-hibiscus-sabdariffa

Yup, those are calices, it’s the bottom part of the flower, that holds the petals together.

It’s actually made with the calyx rather than the petals, same as with hibiscus tea.

I miss trader Joe’s dried chili mango and candied hibiscus, their entire dried fruit section really.